Any last words?
by TFALokiwriter
Summary: A board game is found many times, and never does it fail to terrify its players.
1. Chapter 1

The stardate was 2137. We can see two Vulcanian young girls leaving the finishing touches to a hole in the red ground. One of the girls appeared to be ten while the other seemed to be eleven roughly being a inch taller. Their motorcycles were parked to the side in front of a hole being dug. There was a certain tensity to the atmosphere between the siblings using their shovels to dig the hole deeper and deeper. There was a suitcase set on the edge of the hole. There was sweat dripping down their skin that made their bangs land on their foreheads. Their outfits were covered in dirt. Their green hands were covered in layers of dirt. The eldest looked toward the other almost as though sensing something was on her sister's mind.

"This is the most logical route we can do, sister," the eldest said.

"I hope mother understands," the youngest said.

"She will," the eldest said, placing their hand on the sibling's shoulder.

The eldest tossed the shovel up to the surface. The eldest climbed up as the sound of drums rung in her ear drums. It was loud and obnoxious. Vulcan hearing was extremely sensitive to loud noises a lot like a cat. She climbed up to the top where she can see a herd of sehlat's grazing along the scenery lounging about. She made her way toward the motorcycle then turned it on while the youngest began to climb up. The youngest made it to the top but the ground beneath the youngest gave out beneath their boots.

"T'Hal!" the youngest called. "'The game!" her fingers were embedded in the hot, red sand. "It's trying to take me!"

The eldest dropped the motorcycle letting it thud to the ground hearing her heart beating loudly. The youngest was in the standard attire worn at the Vulcan Learning Center with a wide circular collar with purple sleeves. The eldest slid to the side of the hole reaching her hand out for the youngest. The youngest grabbed onto the eldest forearm. There was great fear on their faces. A expression normally not seen on Vulcans. The two flipped onto the ground panting. The youngest got up then started to shovel in the dirt from the large pile. The eldest joined.

"What if someone finds it?" the youngest asked.

T'Hal dramatically turned toward her sister.

"May Surak have mercy on them," T'Hal said. "we have to finish this."

They silently resumed shoveling dirt bit by bit until the game was covered and the hole was gone. The siblings dashed toward their motorcycles. The drumming sounded as though it were coming from the ground, loudly. The siblings shared one last glance with one another then toward the covered hole. They turned their motorcycles on then sped off into the distance leaving a trail of dust behind. The scene panned over toward one of the native insects that was light gray appearing to be scorpion like that stood on its two back feet and had a pair of wings resembling dragon flys.


	2. Chapter 2

The scene panned away from the insect scuttling away from a shovel. There were Vulcanian construction workers building a house wearing dark gray coveralls and a helmet to protect their raven hair. There were Vulcans walking past the sites. The stardate was 2237. A young Vulcan boy darted past the scenery on the Vulcan Motorcycle that was smaller in size resembling more of a bicycle than a motorcycle. It was painted a dark shade of gray with a white streak on the front. It even had S'chn T'gai Spock written in federation standard on the front. There were Vulcans giving chase after him throwing objects back at him wearing stoic masks to cover their biased demeanors. The camera panned over to the young boy being chased. He looked over his shoulder. He appeared to be seven years of age with large ears that had pointed tips.

"Your tendency to run away is quite illogical, Spock!" the lead bully shouted.

"Stop and face your peers!" the second bully shouted.

Spock looked over his shoulder, his eyes showing fear, at the peers.

"Look, he is having a emotion!" the lead bully said. "Get him!"

 _Surak, help me_ , Spock thought.

Spock speeded down through Vulcan streets and corners that had a strange bend to it. His legs were pumping up and down, repeatedly. Dirt was sent flying blurring the vision of several Vulcan bystanders. Spock made it to the steps of Vulcan Central Command, panting. The bullies stopped in their tracks. One of them smacked the bar to their kiddie bicycles to release their frustration. The Vulcanian hybrid had escaped their clutches once more. Spock made it off the motorcycle taking his helmet off discarding it to the floor making a bee line to the front doors. The doors automatically opened for him letting Spock in. He could hear, in his head, the Vulcans chastising him for running away. Vulcans could not apply the nerve pinch to each other, it was a general rule of knowledge, it would be an awkward conversation for two Vulcans attempting to nerve pinch the other.

Spock saw his father, with raven graying hair, speaking to a man with brown hair and fierced thick arched eyebrows. Sarek's hands were locked behind his back looking down in reserved emotion kept back. Sarek's face did not betray him. No emotions dripping from his voice. No emotions in his eyes. Amanda was back at the Vulcan Learning Center working over time. Spock suspected that nine year old Burnham was her pupil at the time. Amanda was always determined to do what she wanted.

"Andrew, your attempts to help our colonies have been welcoming," Sarek said. "but the hot spots that you have been visiting are gravely concerning for those who are not immunized against it."

"Ambassador S'chn T'gai Sarek of the planet sassy computers," Andrew said, in a tone of voice that sounded like an insult. Andrew's face was turning a shade of red. "You don't have permission to use my middle name!" Sarek did not seem hurt by the first reply. If he was hurt, he held it back well. "And second, they are not contagious."

"You are hereby barred from visiting the Vulcan Colonies," Sarek said. "only authorized physicians are allowed," Andrew sulked. "I do not take pleasure in barring one of the great McCoy's from doing what they are best at."

Andrew, or more known as David _Andrew_ McCoy, was keeping his fingers rolled against his palm to keep his anger back. He didn't seem to be soothed by the Ambassador's reply. Spock's brown eyes were fixated on a ten year old boy was sitting down across from them stroking his hands down a sehlat cub. Spock's eyes saw the older boy's hazel eyes. The boy observed the Vulcanian child then grew a wide, genuinely delighted smile. His brown eyes lit up. The older boy let go of the sehlat cub then made his way from the two arguing adults. The sehlat cub mewed making its way after McCoy.

"Spock!" the cub came to a stop along the human's left shoe.

"Leonard," Spock acknowledged.

"How are ya?" Leonard asked.

"Adequate," Spock said.

"Ya got a little taller," Leonard said. "So how's bein' a Vulcan goin'?"

"It is unpleasent," Spock said. "but I will live."

"Great!" Leonard said. "You're doin' swell!"

"What brings your father here?" Spock inquired.

"Oh, well," Leonard said, glancing toward his father. "earlier, we were on one of those colonies with a disease that I can't quite say. Puts people in for pain for days on bed rest," he took out his small, inflate able ball from his pocket. "Would ya like to play soccer with me?"

Spock shot a glance at their respective parents.

"Perhaps," Spock said, as Andrew was going on a rant.

"I am not goin' to be anythin' like him when I grow up," Leonard said. "I will be nicer."

"You are a nice human," Spock said. "I share a great liking on you."

"Ya have a crush on me?" Leonard said, as a blush grew on his face.

"Yes," Spock said.

"Say, Spock," Leonard said. "uh. . . ya bethrothed. Nothin' goin' to happen between us."

"T'Pring is not interested in me," Spock said, then held his pinkie finger out. "we will dissolve the bethrotal link. When I am of age, I will choose you."

"Ah, a pinkie swear!" Leonard said. His smile faded. "We might be different people by then."

"I won't," Spock said.

"Ya won't, but I _will_ ," Leonard said.

"I will bond with thee when thy of age," Spock said, Leonard started to speak up but the Vulcan stopped him. "It does not matter to me if thy a different man. I will cherish thee, love thee, and care for thee no matter what. Thee will be my ashayam. And I would not have it any different. Our previous meld allowed me to realize our minds are compatible." his pinkie finger was held out. "You are my T'hy'la."

"I promise to marry ya when I am old enough," Leonard said, crossing over Spock's pinkie finger.

"I as well," Spock said, with a nod.

"I am not goin' to become a doctor when I grow up," Leonard said. "I'll be a soccer player."

"I will be a scientist when I come of age," Spock said. Leonard appeared to be pleased as their pinkie fingers unlinked.

Leonard smacked Spock's back.

"Let's go and play!" Leonard announced.

Leonard pressed a button underneath the ball as Sarek was savagely, yet calmly, replying to Andrew. The ball inflated on Leonard's palms until it was big. The two children made their way from the adults. Leonard kicked the ball down the hall. Vulcans stepped aside letting the two friends pass on by. Spock made it to the soccer ball then kicked it back toward the human's direction. Leonard used his foot to steady the ball then kicked it back toward Spock. Spock returned the ball with a swift, hard shot. The ball flew by the ear of T'Pau. T'Pau watched, with amusement, Spock going after the object while Leonard's laughter engulfed the building. Spock's foot stopped the ball. Spock's eyes were locked on the ball waiting for it to reach him. Spock kicked it back in Leonard's direction. The ball came flying back in Spock's direction. Spock used his knee to kick the ball back earning a cackle of laughter from the human.

Leonard kicked the ball back.

The ball darted under the table.

Leonard threw his hands into the air, cheering, "Score 1 for Team McCoy!" Andrew loudly sneezed.

Spock retrieved the ball from under the table then kicked the ball.

"Lenny, we're leavin'!" Andrew called.

Leonard turned from the ball as it flew over his shoulder.

"Ah pa," Leonard said, then his eyes caught the ball flying. "Watch out!"

The ball landed square in the face of a lime green with knobs attached to long like structures in a black suit.

"AH!" The represenative screamed as a pool of blood spewed from the broken nose.

Spock zipped out of the building.

"Leonard!" Andrew shouted, as he held the ball standing along the crumpled figure holding the ball in one hand sending a glare toward the boy. "your little ass is grounded."

"We will not join the federation if this is what will happen!" the representative scolded, shaking his green prickly finger at Sarek. "Count us out!"

"Mr Bently," Sarek said. "It will not happen."

"Can you promise me that?" Bently asked, with a deadly glare.

"Yes," Sarek said, turning toward Andrew and Leonard. "I am afraid that you're banned for life from Vulcan."

"Sarek, just go ahead and ban Leonard from Vulcan Central Command," Andrew said.

"You're banned," Sarek said, repeated. "please, leave. Both of you."

"And there goes relations with Earth," Andrew said, clasping a hand on Leonard's shoulder. "come alon', son."

Sarek picked up the sehlat cub gently stroking the little ones forehead.

Andrew sneezed once more.


	3. Chapter 3

Spock arrived to where his kiddie bike had been only to find it was missing. His eyes scanned for the bullies only to find they had left with his kiddie bike. He could sense that he was being eyed by hidden eyes. Spock straightened his school uniform clearing away the wrinkles to the uniform. Spock had passed his kah-swan. Letting I-Chaya go with dignity. Rescued by his relative Selek. And being bullied by his peers was something that was less of adventure. And trying to abide by Surak's teachings was difficult. All in the span of a year.

His walk was long and tenuous with his hands in his pockets.

Spock, directly, allowed himself to get into a dead end.

"Want your bike back, half-breed?" the tall one asked.

"Yes," Spock said.

"Take this!" the tall one threw a punch at Spock's face knocking him down to the floor.

Spock moved onto his side.

"You're never going to be a Vulcan," the tall one said. "your father is a traitor."

"Violence is illogical," Spock said. He propped himself up. "If my father is a traitor then why is the household of T'Pol treated as important?" his eyes met the other bullies. "Their daughter is regarded Vulcan."

"She is a Vulcan," the tall one said. "at least she is more Vulcan than you ever will be."

"More Vulcan than I will ever be?" Spock said, now standing toe to toe with the lead bully. "she is the first Vulcan-human hybrid to have survived birth. The child of T'Pol and Tripp is, by records, a mix of her heritage. She can be both. And I do not need to choose." Amanda had Spock rehearse it over and over as soon as he could think for himself and speak for himself. He had done research regarding T'Pol and her bondmate Tripp even after learning to read and write in Vulcan and Federation Standard.

"That is different," the tall one argued back.

"If you say that she is special then consider your status as my peer revoked," Spock said. "and your logic deemed illogical."

The tall one shoved Spock to the floor.

"Don't say that about him!" the middle one said.

Spock stood up once more.

"That is the truth," Spock said. "There is no undeniable fact. It is not an alternative fact. It can not be refuted. Give back my bike."

"I will if you remain still and close your eyes," the tall one said.

Spock obeyed.

"Come on, girls," the tall one said.

The band of bullies surrounded Spock then walked away. Spock covered his bleeding green nose. He had a black eye and his lip seemed to be chipped with green blood trailing down his soft, rounded baby skin. Spock gained his bearings then got up. He made his way from the dead end noticing it looked like the bullies had vanished. As though they had never existed in the first place. He heard the sound of tribal drumbeats below the ground. It sounded low yet buried. It was fascinating. People pretended not to hear it. Except for a group of tall, lean Vulcanian young girls looking off toward the distance caught in a clutter together. It was a fascinating scenery. A answer began to grow in the Vulcan's mind.

 _It was only able to draw children,_ Spock rationalized.

Regardless, Spock followed the drum beats. Passing by the girls. The mothers drawing their young children away from the noises. He followed the drum beats until he came to the construction site. ShiKahr was still expanding, as a major city, growing, and growing, and growing. There were more Vulcan cities decorating the planet ranging in size. Small towns were prominent about the planet located near sources of water. Over a hundred years ago, it hadn't been as massive. He came to the dug out edge. He slipped into the foundation. His nose had stopped bleeding including his lips. The drumbeats were getting louder. More crystal clear. He saw a handle sticking out from the ground. Layer upon layer of dirt stacked upon each other. He yanked the luggage out of the ground landing with his butt to the dirt the with a light thud. He opened the luggage to see dirt.

Spock raised his eyebrow as the sound was beating in his ears.

Something was beneath the clear, red hot sand.

He placed his hands into the dirt feeling for a flat surface with some elevated ridges.

He took the box out of the suitcase then slid the box down toward the floor letting it fall.

It read in golden text: _Jumanji_.

"Out of the foundation, child," the words stung coming from a older vulcanian woman. Spock dropped the box into the case then quickly shut it.

Spock looked over his shoulder to see the woman giving him a glare.

"Wait," she caught him by the shoulder preventing him from going. "you need to be treated."

"I am adequate," Spock argued.

"Uh huh," the construction worker frowned. She turned the young man toward her.

"My bleeding has ceased," Spock replied, as the construction worker looked down toward the stained uniform. "let go of my shoulder."

"Whose your parents?" the construction worker asked.

"Amanda Grayson and Ambassador Sarek," Spock said.

"Pppph, those two?" the construction worker said. She pinched his cheeks. "Now wonder you look so cute," she placed her hands onto her knees. "how about I take you to the Vulcan Hospital and not tell your parents about it?"

"Your offer is generous," Spock said, dusting himself off. "this is not the first time it has happened. My mother has nursed me from worse."

"Your mother doesn't deserve a scared little boy on a little planet that doesn't accept him," the construction worker said, pitying him. "run along and go home. . . only Surak knows how much time you have left with a human parent."

"Live long and prosper," Spock said, giving the salute.

"Peace and long life," the construction worker said.

Spock walked up the series of steps then down the street with luggage in tow. Spock bumped into a woman knocking down to the dirt once more then looked up to see dismay and horror in her eyes. As though he had used Surak's name in vein. As though he had told her that he was half human. As though the woman had seen something truly horrifying. She appeared to be somewhere in her late fifties staring at the luggage. Spock looked over toward it then back toward her. There was some connection between the two.

"My apologies," Spock said.

"No, the apologies should come from me," the stranger replied.

"Does this belong to you?" Spock asked.

"No!" the stranger shouted. She paused, shuddering, closing her eyes. "I would never own a old, distasteful suitcase like that," she reopened her eye glancing back in the young Vulcan's direction rather apologetically. "whatever it is, I bet it can't wait to be taken out, and excuse me."

The stranger fought back her emotions going past the young man to keep herself from falling apart.

If Spock only knew.


	4. Chapter 4

Amanda arrived to the S'chn T'gai household, her hands in the long colored sleeves of the outfit most suited for a desert environment. She took her head gear off with a huff discarding it on the arm rest of the couch then helped herself to the center of it and relaxed. Her bones exhausted, her mind at lethargy, and her eyes droopy. She briefly covered her eyes. The lack of a warm, old sehlat slipping themselves over her was discomforting. Someday's, she thought she could hear the animals roar. The stroke of the animal passing by her. Her seh'lat nuzzling the side of her neck. She could still feel I-Chaya's presence. She closed her eyes briefly then reopened them to see Sarek standing in front of her. Nine year old Michael Burnham went over past the two into the dining room to perform her homework.

"Ashaya," Amanda said, holding her two fingers out.

"Aduna," Sarek said, returning the gesture touching the woman's two fingers. "my day was eventful. Yours?"

"Uneventful," Amanda said, as warmth transpired through the bond.

"Did Spock return from school?" Sarek inquired.

"He is climbing Mount Seleya," Amanda replied. "as he normally does."

Sarek sighed, annoyed with Spock.

"I will retrieve him him," Sarek said. "Amanda, rest yourself, I will make Spock dinner."

"Taluhk nash-veh k'du," Amanda said, as their foreheads touched.

Sarek crossed the space between them, placing a light kiss on the woman's lips then lifted himself off her.

"I will finish this after I deal with Spock," Sarek said, leaving a very smitten Amanda on the couch with heart eyes after him.

* * *

Spock sat on the top of Mount Seleya, with his hands clutched together, staring off into the sky. The emotional pain from I-Chaya's lost was a difficult one to recover from. The air of Vulcan brushing past his face. A black eye now formed on the left side of his face. His nose no longer bled. He looked over toward the box beside him. He picked up the board then opened it. He saw a black gem in the center with a series of paths. He opened the side to see four game pieces. He slid out two pieces. Elephant and rhino. Spock looked over toward the side to read the prominent black and red text to his left.

It read as follows from the left: _Jumanji._

 _A game for those who seek to find._

 _A way to leave their world behind._

 _You roll the dice to move your token._

 _Doubles gets another turn._

 _The first player to reach the end wins._

"Interesting game play," Spock said.

"Spock," Spock heard Sarek calling him out.

Spock dropped the pieces to the game board letting them clatter and stick to the surface. He closed the game board placing it back into the suitcase and clicking to close sliding it close to his person. Spock's knees were set together sensing the elder was getting closer and closer to him. Sarek came to a stop behind him looking down at him disapproval. The elder had a disapointed sigh.

"Yes, father?"

"I requested you to not trek Mount Seleya," Sarek said. "not on school days."

"My peers have tried harder than usual to elicit a emotion from me," Spock said.

Sarek sat down alongside the child then looked over to see his son's bad shape.

"They beat you up," Sarek said. Sarek was holding back the anger that he was experiencing. Every day since he was five, the bullies beat him up at every chance they had. A part of Sarek regret letting the young man grow up on Vulcan rather than Earth. Earth was far more accepting of hybrids. Ambassadors were traditionally supposed to remain on the planet they represented and to better stand as representation. Sarek saw the young child bob his head up and down. Mount Seleya was his escape, at least that is what Amanda believed.

"Yes," Spock said.

"Did you fight back?" Sarek asked.

"I did not," Spock said.

"Did you do anything?" Sarek asked.

"I repeated what mother told me to say about being different," Spock said.

"They will learn from their mistakes and regret hurting you in the future," Sarek said.

"I doubt that," Spock said. "they will never learn from their prejudice and hate toward hybrids."

"Spock, you do not have to live this way, constantly," Sarek said. "you can move to Earth," Spock turned his head toward Sarek, his face not portraying emotion. "with your mother."

"You are attempting to send me away," Spock said. "Are you ashamed of me?"

"That is a illogical thought," Sarek said. A flair of anger arose. Why would he think that? Spock's brown eyes were full of curiosity. A lot like a scientist observing a new specimen. He looked fascinated at what his father had to say. "I am not ashamed of you."

"Unlike Sybok?" Spock asked.

"That is a different issue," Sarek said. "you are my son and the only one to take my place as ambassador."

"We share the same issues," Spock said. "no one likes me."

"Your mother loves you dearly," Sarek said. "Both sets of your grandparents cherish you, and your human friend adores you."

"He is my only friend," Spock said.

"Does four year old James not count?" Sarek asked.

"He is a toddler," Spock said. "He is not on my level."

Sarek raised an eyebrow back then lowered it.

"Sybok said that about you," Sarek said

"That was to play with," Spock said.

"So?" Sarek said. "he is an intelligent being that has recently achieved sapiency."

"He is not logical," Spock said, turning back toward the sight of a distant ShiKahr.

"His logic may be flawed for someone constantly testing their environment but he is every bit as logical as you are," Sarek said. His eyes drifted toward the suitcase by his son's side. "what is inside of the suitcase?"

"A very old board game," Spock said.

"I am sure that it will be a good game to play with James or Leonard during your summer vacation," Sarek remarked. The young Vulcan sighed, lowering his head. "to not allow another situation like it arise, it was logical to ban the McCoy's. Your foremother agreed on the decision. It has been implemented this far."

"You could have banned Leonard from VCC instead of from the planet," Spock said, frankly.

"Leonard is ten years old and still requires his parents protection," Sarek explained. "it would have been logical to ban him, and only him alone, if he were twenty. Which he is not. It was partially my fault bringing Doctor McCoy here to discuss matters that he was involved in. I was temping fate for things to go wrong," Spock looked toward his father, raising eyebrows, at his father some responsibility for the McCoy's problem. For a moment there, Spock considered telling his father that it was his fault the ball was flying in the first place. Logically, he should be banned from the VCC. "There will come a day where my decision will haunt me. I will face the consequences."

Spock nodded in return.

"I understand how the situation is," Spock said. "but what if you have another necessity to speak with Doctor McCoy?"

"It will be conducted through live chat," Sarek said. His attention focused on the bustling city ahead.

"Ah," Spock said.

"I will speak to your mother regarding moving to Earth," Sarek said.

"Mother would not want to leave without you," Spock said. Sarek turned his head toward Spock.

"Who said I was not going?" Sarek asked.

"It's not logical for a Ambassador to leave what he is representing. . . Traditionally," Spock said.

"Spock," Sarek said. "I represent Vulcan and it's people," his hands moved into his long, draped sleeves. "Showing faith with Terrans by moving there would be a monumental step, diplomatic wise, that shows not all Vulcans wish to live their entire lives on their home planet."

"I thought bonding with mother was a sign of faith in humanity," Spock said.

"No," Sarek said. "that it was not. Your mother. . ." he held back a fond expression. "is a different story."

"How so?" Spock said.

"Because it was logical," Sarek said.

Spock looked up toward his father as his legs dangled from the side of the cliff looking back at his father with a tilted head, studying the older Vulcan, attempting to decipher why it was logical for his father to bond with her, and whether it had any emotional connotations to it. He turned his head away toward the city. There were shapes of dust flies that were small to the eye as a fingernail in the distance. Almost thin but sleek enough to identify. Sarek, by Spock's record, had not shown an inch of emotion in his presence in public or in private while growing as a individual. Perhaps his father had accidentally impregnated his mother and it became a necessity to bond. It was not uncommon to happen on Earth or anywhere else for that matter. Sarek stood up with great care from the mountain side.

"Come," Sarek said. "your mother is waiting," Spock propped himself up. "I will make dinner tonight."

The two Vulcans climbed down Mount Seleya eventually becoming distant, blurred figures blending in with the background turning shades of red and orange.


	5. Chapter 5

The red and orange colors faded as the scene backtracked into the S'chn T'gai household. Sarek was the second to enter the household after Spock. Amanda's eyes opened to see her son arrive with two black eyes. She bolted up coming to his side then guided him into the bathroom. His VLC uniform was stained and his sleeves had been rolled up to his elbows. Alongside him rested the suitcase. She handed the young child his normal attire consisting of a gray variation of what his father normally wore with the rounded collar. Spock took his stained attire off handing it to his mother. Sarek went on to make dinner for his small family. Sarek glanced over to where a old sehlat should be. Sarek briefly closed his eyes then went on to make three servings of plomeek soup.

Amanda eventually returned with Spock's black eyes gone in part due to the dermal regenerator they kept in the bathroom. The table was set and prepared for the S'chn T'gai family members. Sarek saw the suitcase laid against the wall. His son's attention stuck on it while eating his plomeek soup. It was intriguing. Sarek glanced in the direction of the box then toward his son. Their chairs were scooted in. Spock swallowed the sips of plomeek soup from the spoon. There was a residual, long silence being carried in the room. There were family paintings hanging on the wall. Some of which consisted of painted imagery such as vases, buildings, and a few were the paintings of ancestors. Surak was among them. Surak appeared to be a very well aged Sarek at first glance with white hair, large pointy ears, and fading slanted eyebrows. Burnham was silently eating away her dinner ignoring the silence. Vulcans normally ate in silence.

 _Sarek, what is wrong?_ Amanda asked, concerned.

 _Spock_ , Sarek replied sending a wave of comfort toward his bondmate. Amanda looked over toward him with a raised eyebrow then lowered it.

 _He is fine_ , Amanda replied, _asides to being beaten up. . ._

"Spock," Sarek said. "pay no attention to your recent discovery."

"It is calling my attention," Spock replied.

 _"It_ does not need your attention during dinner," Sarek said. "nor is it alive," the older Vulcan's eyes landed on the box then back toward his son. His son's brown eyes darted from Sarek then toward the board game then back to him. "the board game is inanimate object."

"Indeed," Spock said, tearing his eyes off the box. The sound of tribal drums rang loudly in his ears. "Mother, how was your day?"

"It was fun," Amanda said. She wore a bright, delighted smile on her face. "I had to stay late for a young child having difficulty. Little T'Sarek."

"The same one from last week?" Spock asked.

"Yes," Amanda said.

"It would be more logical given her disability to learn federation sign language," Sarek noted.

"She likes the challenge," Amanda said. "it's just another obstacle to her," she cleared her throat. "for someone whose lived most of her childhood in hospitals a majority of her life time. . . She is a brave child."

"It is remarkable how a Loche-Vulcan hybrid survived birth," Spock said. "if she survives her youth. . . it would be interesting to see how a hybrid of two worlds would fair. Especially for a marine life eater."

"It would be," Amanda agreed.

"It would be beneficial to their continued growth to stay on Vulcan, is it not?" Spock asked.

Sarek and Amanda shared a glance then turned their attention toward their son.

"Spock, that is a entirely different circumstance," Amanda said.

"It is not different," Spock said. "Vulcan is beneficial to my growth."

"You can be the best Vulcan that you can be in a positive environment," Amanda said. "I was thinking of Dakota. South Dakota. . . Or just moving to Iowa where I have some family living. There is a likely hood we may move to Burlington."

"I wish to stay," Spock said.

"It is not logical," Amanda said. "my son, I do not wish to see you hurt."

"As do I," Sarek agreed.

They finished their dinner in silence with not word coming from the Vulcanian child. After dinner, while Sarek was cleaning his plate, his communicator rang. Sarek carefully placed the plate onto the counter turning away then took out the communicator. He flipped it open with exact precision that the familiar beeps came out. He walked out of the kitchen leaving Amanda and Spock to finish the washing. Amanda looked down upon her son with concern in his eyes. Spock walked off the stool then made his way out of the room. Amanda was facing her daughter and nodding on to what she was asking.

"Just make sure you have returned from T'Pen afterwards," Amanda said.

"Yes, mother," Burnham said, then she too,left.

Sarek returned with a grave expression.

"There is a emergency meditation required between the Klingons and the Gangorians," Sarek said. "we are needed."

"Whose going to babysit Spock tonight?" Amanda asked.

"T'Pau is officiating a bonding ceremony at this hour," Sarek replied. "or Winona's colleague Richard Tyrone could take care of it. He is one of my assistants at the Vulcan Command Central."

"I am not sure about that," Amanda said. "Angela and Spock get along better than those two. Richard and Spock don't speak to one another. Not since the young Boltaruan insulted I-chaya."

"Kaiidth," Sarek said. "I will place the call. We must go. Immediately"

"Sarek, I have packed for such an ocassion," Amanda said. "wait for me outside. I will get our duffles."

"Yes, aduna," Sarek said, then he went outside.

Amanda quickly speeded up the stairs like a panther. Her figure was only a colored blurr striking past the doors. Spock was packing up his belongings in his quarters. He packed pictures of I-Chaya, suitable attire to live in until he found a place to live, packed lunches, a blanket, and his treasured belongings. He zipped up his duffle bag hearing the booming sound of the tribal drums in his ears. He looked over toward the suitcase. He did not have room to carry the suitcase with him. It would only make it less easier to leave home. He placed the duffle bag beneath the bed sensing his mothers presence arriving. He sat onto the edge of the bed with his hands on his lap. The doors opened to reveal his mother dressed in semi dark colors for the occassion.

"Spock," Amanda said. "we are leaving you with Richard."

Spock looked up, tilting his head.

"Why would Richard be interested in staying on Vulcan?" Spock asked.

"It's temporary until we get back," Amanda said. "we love you, Spock. Sometimes we have to do difficult things for people we cherish dearly," she placed a hand on the Vulcan's small shoulder. "we are still moving to Earth, afterwards."

"You will regret this," Spock said.

"Even if it means being accepted?" Amanda asked. "I will never regret raising you."

"I will not speak to you or father," Spock made his way off the bed past the woman going over to his meditation mat that hadn't been packed.

Amanda looked over toward her son feeling sympathy for him.

"Good," Amanda said. "because you can get to think how we are trying our best to raise you."

Amanda left the room then picked up her duffle bags. Spock hadn't verbally shouted at her but it felt like they shared a verbal, high heated argument. She went down the stairs curling along the wall. She came out through the doors that closed behind her. She placed the luggage into the cage with some fight then put on her helmet and sat onto the motorcycle. She wrapped her arm around Sarek's figure. Sarek shared a Vulcan kiss with the woman with a hand that didn't have gloves on. Sarek placed his hand onto the rugged, circular shaped pattern on the handle

Spock stood up on his feet the went over to his canteen then shook it to see if it was filled with water. Had some. Spock went down stairs with his duffle bag and canteen. He opened the canteen's lid then put it under the faucet. Water came streaming down the hole into the circular object. Eventually the canteen was full so the Vulcan child turned off the water. He slid the straps over his shoulder. Then his duffle bag. He had a spare meditation mat and copies of Surak's teachings packed inside. He came to the door only to be stopped when there was a series of deep beep. Spock pressed the button to the side. He half expected it to be his father who had forgotten something, anything, since being busy came with only bringing what was required of the situation. Amanda called it a brain fart. It confused Spock. How did a brain fart? A brain could not fart.

The door opened to reveal Leonard with Spock's kiddie bike that was partially damaged here and there.

Leonard smiled back, shyly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Spock raised an eyebrow back at the older child.

"Leonard, why are you here?" Spock asked.

"Well. . . I saw you walkin' rather than usin' your bike," Leonard aid. "so I thought my last visit here should go off on a good note." His once tanned hands were covered in dirt and so was his summer outfit. His hair messy while some of his face was covered in the red dirt.

"Nemiayo," Spock said.

Spock stepped out of the doorway heading to the outside.

"Is your brother part of a band or somethin'?" Leonard said. "My, that is loud."

"You hear it too?" Spock asked.

"I think anyone can hear it from five miles away," Leonard said.

"I am the only one here," Spock said. Leonard went white. "it's coming from the game."

"Game?" Leonard repeated. "What game?"

"Come in," Spock said.

Leonard leaned the kiddie bike against the side putting out the light gray, thin metal object to the wooden floor. He followed after the Vulcan into the house. The door closed behind the young man. Spock scooted his duffle bag under the couch including with his closed canteen. He sat down in front of the couch. Leonard looked around the room in awe and disgust at the fashion choice. There were a strip of thick, wide square cushions on the center of the furniture from stools, tables, chairs, and couches. Spock opened the gameboard placing it onto the table. The elephant and rhino were at different points of the beginning on the board. Spock tugged at the items attempting to take them off. They did not budge.

"Are they magnetized?" Leonard asked.

"I do not know," Spock said.

"Interestin'," Leonard said, then he opened the compartment taking out two dice. "it stopped drummin'."

"Drumming can distract a player," Spock said. "it must not be interested."

"It must not be interested?" Leonard said, glaring toward the younger Vulcan. "Now ya just freakin' me out. I am not playin'." Leonard stood up dropping the dice to the board. The dice landed on a number from around the circular, black object.

"Leonard!" Spock called. "It is moving!"

Leonard turned coming back over toward the board seeing his totem moving on its own.

"Holy shit," Leonard said. Light green words appeared on the center. "At night they fly, you better run, these winged things are not much fun." They heard sounds coming from around the room. Spock and Leonard looked around feeling a chill in the air. Leonard gulped.

Spock looked over toward the other side of the board.

"Adventures beware. Do not begin unless you intend to finish. The exciting consequences of the game will vanish only when a player has reached Jumanji and called out its name," Spock read. "I wonder what that means," Spock and Leonard shared a intrigued glance together. Spock picked up the dice then looked down unsure at the game board. "Perhaps. . . we can finish this later."

"Everythin' that happens in the game won"t matter to us," Leonard said.

"I heard bats," Spock said.

"Probably termites or the house groanin'," Leonard said. "games must be finished. Surak's entertainment rule one."

There was a loud, deep series of beeps that made Spock drop the dice. He got a five.

"Oh, baby sitter finally comin'," Leonard said.

Spock's totem started to move.

"Oh no," Spock said.

"What?" Leonard turned his attention back toward the game.

"It thinks I intentionally dropped the dice," Spock said.

The two looked over the center once the totem stopped.

"In the jungle, you must wait, until the dice reads five or eight," Leonard said. "huh, that's interestin'."

"Games cannot take in their players," Spock said, as the beeping grew insistent.

Leonard's eyes widened.

"Spock!" Leonard said. "YOUR HANDS! AND YOUR EARS!"

Spock looked down toward his hands.

"This is illogical," Spock said, as his green hands were flowing almost magic. He retained his emotionless demeanor looking up toward the human with raised eyebrows. Leonard screamed seeing his friend vanishing before his eyes. "Leonard, remain calm, and roll the dice."

Leonard fell back with tears in his eyes. Abruptly, out of the walls busted bats. Leonard screamed louder, fleeing, on foot away from the living room. The game left waiting in the living room. The human crashed to the floor then noticed a bat resting on his shoulders. He screamed even louder then fled out through the doors crashing him against the nearby figure. He stumbled up screaming, high pitch, terrified as the alien male with purple skin looked in his direction baffled. Something was wrong. He went inside. No one was there. There is a photo of Spock, Amanda, and Sarek left on the counter that we look closely upon.


	6. Chapter 6

We back out of the photograph to show Sarek sitting on the couch looking down upon the open gameboard. He didn't look fine. There were several family members lurking about the household. T'Pau was among them. Solkar sat down by his grandson looking at him with great pity. Every member of the S'chn T'ga clan had mentally linked with the Ambassador upon his wife's untimely demise. Sarek was half ready to break into tears. The last mind meld that she shared with him showed the last interactions with their son and he showed her his memories. He placed a hand on the side of his forehead visibly distraught.

"I grieve with thee," Solkar said. "losing your wife and son in one year. . . . that is tragic."

"My son is not dead," Sarek said. "I will find him."

"You said yourself that you cannot sense him in the family bond," Solkar said.

"Richard could not have killed my son," Sarek said. "he is not capable or motivated for such acts."

"Your wife perished in a shuttle craft accident," Solkar said. "your son was murdered. . . I do not see how your son's murder should be forgiven."

"There is nothing to forgive, forefather," Sarek said. "as I told him at our last visit. . . He is alive and well for all I am concerned somewhere on this planet. He must have gone to a rogue healer to break his family bond after staging his death with the doctor's son. That is the only logical explanation," Sarek closed the game shut taking it into his arms. "somewhere along the line, he was abducted, and he is highly emotional. He needs me more than ever."

Sarek left the living room with the gameboard tucked under his arm. He went upstairs to the attic where objects from Spock's childhood and his forefather's belongings rested in several boxes. Sarek placed the gameboard onto a box. What was so fascinating about the box? His son left it behind. So it could not have been fascinating enough to take with him. Where did he fail as a father? And as a parent? That his son would risk being abducted. Sarek knelt down to his feet as heated liquid fell down his cheeks. Words that he didn't expect to say with emotion came out, "Spock, please, come back."

He leaned forward sobbing into his hands feeling a shade of some grief being exchanged through the many links with family members. It was not fair. He lost the love of his life after his sons disappearance. George and Amanda was staying away for the time being giving him space when he needed assurance that he was not going crazy. Sarek thought he heard his son's screams briefly. He raised his head up looking in both directions. The sound was gone. He wiped the tears off his cheeks. He was going to find his son. And who ever had abducted him, was going to pay dearly. And painfully. Sarek stood up once he had shed his tears then straightened his attire. He looked around sensing there were some creatures that hadn't been killed yet. Sarek made his way down the stairs to join his family.

"Sarek, when are you getting bonded again?" came Skonn's voice.


	7. Chapter 7

"Doctor Kirk, I am sorry, but this house is not for sale for humans," came a monotonous female voice.

"No one has lived here since Sarek's death," Leonard, said as he came inside the house. He was taller, his voice deeper than how it was as a child, and he had some similarities to his father. "I remember this place very fondly . . ." There were bats dangling from the ceiling, plants growing here in the cracks in the floor, it needed a lot of weeding, and some of the furniture was still covered in white fabric. He had bags under his eyes with some streaks of gray in his normally dark brown hair. "doesn't look different." He shifted in the direction of the door. "Do ya like it, Saavik, David?"

The two children followed in behind the human. Saavik had two pigtails looking around curiously in her red and black jacket that matched her pants. She had her hands locked behind her back. She had crystal blue eyes unlike David who had brown eyes. David was a blonde boy. The stardate was 2267. David was in his favorite blue sweater that resembled the new star fleet uniforms that were out. His hands were dived into the black pant pockets looking around curiously. A black Vulcanian woman in dark attire entered behind the small family holding a large, wide padd in her arms that most closely resembled a clipboard.

"It matches my aesthetic," Saavik said. Leonard sighed, exasperated.

"That's not exactly your aesthetic," Leonard said.

"It is now," Saavik said.

"T'Press," Leonard said. "I like to buy this house."

"No," T'Press said. "This is for Vulcans."

Leonard held out his pinkie finger.

"I promise to buy this house and fix it," Leonard. "this is for the two kids I adopted."

T'Press took the man's pinkie finger with her long, thin green finger.

"You are not lying," T'Press said, taking her finger back. "I sense you have experienced a great loss."

"Recently?" Leonard said. "Nah, that was in 2263 . . ." witnessing his husband fly out of the air lock like a doll had done a number on him. In the only flying ship, with aviophobia, without a damn passenger to catch him. He never felt so helpless then not since his father died. "the only loss I had recently was my mother and my desire to be in space," his daughter, Joanna, living with Jocelyn, wouldn't get to go on unexpected vacations. Jocelyn was a lawyer not a traveler. "My husband's legacy was the only thin' that made me want to finish the extended five year mission, partially."

"I grieve with thee," T'Press said.

"Thank ya," Leonard said.

"How did he die?" T'Press asked.

"Saving a entire starbase from Captain Eddison," Leonard said. "Starbase Yorktown."

"I have not heard of that loss," T'Press said

"Not surprisin' for a planet out of the federation," Leonard said. "Anyway, I decided to work at the Vulcan Medical Center. Right at Vulcan Science Academy," he clasped his hands onto the children's shoulders. "and my kids are just itchin' to meet some Vulcans."

"Not really," Saavik said.

"Yes, ya do," Leonard said, shooting a glare at her.

"Just because I am half Vulcan does not mean I am interested in meeting others who may be mistrustful in me due to my heritage," Saavik said.

"Been a lon' time since I saw this house," Leonard said, observing the entrances to the other closed rooms in the building on the first floor. And he was determined to right the wrong. "I'll fix it all up. Were the bats ever taken care of?"

"There are no bats residing in this household," T'Press said, as the man walked into the living room.

Saavik looked up to see the bats quietly resting against the upper edges of the ceiling where the door frames ended and began. Leonard looked over to see where the hole had once been. A hole that screeching bats had came out of at full unexplained force. He placed his hands onto his waist carefully observing. There were cracks in the wall that needed to be sealed. His eyes landed onto the empty table. He placed a hand on the warm, somewhat torn cushion. He had to replace the material on his own time. He looked over raising an eyebrow toward the Vulcan who simply raised an eyebrow back. He looked toward the other side of the table where a familiar spector of his childhood regret rested. He failed Spock. He will not fail raising his adopted children. He had to face the mistakes in his past one way or another to be a good father. A brief pained, regretful expression appeared on his face as he sighed. A bright smile grew on his face turning toward the dark Vulcanian woman.

"I will be the judge of that," Leonard said. "let's finish this tour."

"Over there is the dining room," T'Press said, followed by the three. "it would look better once touched up. The previous family didn't really care for it after the youngest died."

"Who lived here?" Saavik asked.

"The S'chn T'gai clan," T'Press said.

"Must have been a very logical family," Saavik said.

"They were," T'press said. David walked away from the scenery going around a corner.

"Argumenative, actually," Leonard said. " Sarek and Spock didn't get alon' that much."

"You knew him?" T'Press asked.

"Once. . . But that was a long time ago," Leonard said. "I am a very different person from what I was then. I left before the kid vanished," he walked inside the dining room feeling the familiar presence of the kind, colorful woman. "I heard rumors that the house was haunted. Weeping often heard here."

"There is no electromagnetic energy in this household," T'Press said. "if anything, the events that happened in the past tend to bleed into the present. Some events replay in the night."

Leonard nodded, absorbing in the information, giving his best uncaring expression. Easily hiding back the guilt. Thirty years since Spock's disappearance. His father had stuck around waiting for him. They both decided it was best that they never talk about what happened that night partially because Leonard was too scared to play. He placed a hand on the flat, wooden table. He wiped the dust off. The rubbed off what had been on his fingers. He looked over to see the entrance to the kitchen laying right ahead that was also connected to another room. They had so many rooms. There were dangling, tilted paintings.

Some of which needed to be replaced with newer ones that had a firm attachment to the wall. Leonard drew back the curtains to see the red, well sculpted scenery up ahead. There were patches of grass stuck into the ground. He could see the neighboring sister planet T'Khut above the clouds. A half of the planet was enveloped in darkness giving the allusion of night. He could see ShiKahr as pair of scissor formations blocking view of ShiKahr. It hadn't changed a bit. He closed the curtain then followed after the group entering the kitchen.

"And this is the kitchen," T'Press said.

"Looks a bit run down," Leonard said. "I'll take care of that."

"Do you have a visa?" T'Press asked.

"I am gettin' it," Leonard said.

"Don't get your hopes high when the federation will not grant your request to change your home planet of choice," T'Press said.

"They will let me go," Leonard said. "I am a hero. United Federation of Planets has enough human doctors in it."

David opened the lower door underneath the sink. A large spider hissed at him standing upwards on its hind legs. David jumped back, "Ah!" Saavik shut the door with her left foot as David stood behind the hybrid while holding onto one of her shoulders. The young human child, roughly ten years old, was trembling. His hazel eyes were full of fear. Unlike his father, he had wavy brown hair. Leonard opened the doors to the various parts of the room t see some empty spider webs and some of which were not. There were still plates stacked inside that hadn't been taken out. There were bowls, mugs, and cups. Surely, Sarek had unpacked the food from the refrigerator. He opened the door to see a clear white, wide interior while smacked by a hard, terrible stench. Rotten, degraded food. There was nothing inside of it. T'Press took a device out then sprayed the interior of the machine. The smell was gone.

"And the stench won't go away," T'Press said.

"Will it go away if it's replaced?" Leonard said.

"I believe so," T'Press said.

"Then I am goin' to replace it," Leonard said. "as will most of the furniture. . . what happened to it anyway?"

"Wild sehlat's lived here for a time," T'Press said. "the last realtor claimed it had been bats. Quite illogical as bats do not reside normally on a planet that has insects twice their size."

"Aaah," Leonard said.

"It was Skonn who put it up for the market," T'Press said. "Just prior to his passing."

"Sounds like the building is cursed," Saavik said.

"It is, in some senses," T'Press said.

"Intriguing," Saavik said.

"The previous buyers left after living in here for month," T'Press said. "Claimed there were bats. There were no bats."

"That's just nifty," Leonard said, as they went through the doorway into the next room. "I like the back indoor, screened porch," he gestured his hands out then slid the doors open y hand inhaling the fresh, hot air. "Gives a great view of Mount Seleya from here!"

Leonard shielded his eyes peering through the heat to see the series of mountains in the distance. He could see the peak of Mount Seleya that was relatively small to his eye, yet, it stood out like a sore thumb. He remembered climbing with Spock and I-Chaya up the mountain. He remembered the temple that resembled the ta'al, gazing down at it, actually once reaching the top sweating and panting. Leonard recalled how at peace the child was resting on the edge with the graying, fat sehlat resting by his side. A smile grew on the doctor's face looking back at the better times. He noticed that there were some damage to the house. The risen layer of sand made the house look smaller. The doctor knelt down at the corner as he recalled laying under the night like impression with stars with Spock. He scraped the dirt away to reveal the brick underneath in inscribed with his own writing. A small smile grew on the man's face

"What happened to your biological parents?" T'Press asked.

"Hellgaurd," Saavik said. "David's mother went into space one day and left him behind. No one has heard from her since," she looked over curiously toward the knelt down man. "Kirk and mnih adopted me immediately once coming across the zone." She turned her head up toward the Vulcanian woman. "it was not a easy adjustment."

McCoy frowned, standing up then came over toward the group.

"Actually, that's not true," Leonard said. "she and a handful of other Romulan children were towed over the Romulan zone, dropped off on a foreign planet, without supplies, and left to fend for herself. The last part, however, was true, because when we found her, it had been nine months. David hasn't talked since Jim died. . ." he sadly sighed. "pretty rough for all of us."

"Then shall we continue the tour and get onto the paperwork?" T'Press asked.

"Ladies first," Leonard said, gesturing in.

"Nemiayo," T'Press said, walking in as Leonard glared toward the two children.

Leonard closed the door behind them leading back into the porch.

"How many floors are there?" Leonard asked.

"Two, if you are not counting the attic," T'Press said. "though it does need to be cleaned out."

"That's fortunate," Leonard said. "I got two kids who need to do some chores around here."

"Mnih," Saavk said. "I do not wish to do the manual work."

"I'm doing that part, Sweetie," Leonard said, lagging behind her. Then when the Vulcan shot out of sight, Leonard knelt down, visibly unpleased toward her. "and if ya do that again regardin' how we found y'all, I might have to change my mind."

"Then you will have to make David do it too," Saavik said.

"I decided that after that first lie," Leonard shook his index finger toward her. He stood up to his level. "I am sure he won't mind. Good activity for a kid his age and to explore."

"Is there a bathroom for us if we get hurt?" Saavik said.

"I am sure of it," Leonard turned around then walked away. He came to a stop where he could see a partially blocked door that had a couch left in front of it.

"Oh," T'Press said. "that's the self regulated bathroom that, logically, must be part of the tenants fleeing. Some are still not used to self regulated bathrooms. Used to be given to Vulcan from Earth until diplomatic ties fell. . . and then the epidemic among the Vulcans began. Troubling, because it was like . . pyrrhoneuritis . . . except worse."

"I remember," Leonard said, reserving personal feelings. "I was there."

"Ah, then you must be familiar to Doctor McCoy's attempts to seek out Sarek when Vulcans had just started dying," T'Press said. They walked away out of the room into the library. There were bats hiding in the ceiling walls resting, comfortably, within the holes that were above their heads. Saavik looked up. "sent us to the edge of extinction. It's illogical how it ceased. Should have continued its tirade."

"Nearly killed him," Leonard said, grimly, as he nodded. "it's funny how history screws over people. I am still surprised that he managed to. . ." the doctor stopped abruptly then changed his reply. "I haven't heard of him in years. . . He went missin'. Haven't been found since," he sighed looking around to see the series of books still laid into the bookshelves with dust covering them. "wow, that's a lot of books, I guess they weren't kiddin' that Vulcans love readin'."

"All of which are poems and children tales," T'Press said. "Sarek reserved not to sell them after his son's death."

"Still held out hope, that poor old man," Leonard said.

"He was a most illogical Vulcan," T'Press said.

"Whatever ya say," Leonard said. "I used to think he wasn't goin' crazy."

David slid the fabric off the stone that was laid on a support beam to reveal Surak's articulately carved head attached to a neck with a torso. Saavik came over looking at it with quite the scrutiny. David tossed the white fabric over the statues head. They followed after the adults like a series of ducklings. The doors opened before the two adults as T'Press and the human walked in silence, mostly, but when it came to going upstairs, she had a lot to speak regarding the bedrooms, the bathrooms, and so on. It was quite a historically enlightening tour despite the sourness to it. Leonard enjoyed the realtor, even though she was part of a dying species heading to extinction, it was a nice evening.


	8. Chapter 8

"Now, wasn't that a good way to spend the beginnin' of hell near to the end of the world as we know it?" Leonard asked, placing the lemonade glass to the table sliding it toward David.

David caught the glass.

"It was adequate," Saavik said.

"Good," Leonard said. He looked at the two warily. "Just leave the attic to me."

Saavik raised her thin eyebrow back at the man, baffled.

"Mnih," Saavik said. "you have made us do everything on the two floors, why not let us finish it?"

"Because I don't need a little boy screamin' like a little girl when he sees bats," Leonard said.

"He is not scared of bats," Saavik said.

"Ya are," Leonard said.

"When you hand me a task, I must finish it," Saavik said.

"Your task is finished youn' lady and be a child," Leonard said. "ya never know how long that ya may have to spend without responsibilities in my house," he walked over toward the refrigerator. "Guess we'll have to go to ShiKahr."

David raised his eyebrows glancing over toward his adopted sibling.

"Can't we stay?" Saavik asked

"We are stayin'," Leonard glanced over toward them.

"No," Saavik said. "Together."

"Ya want to be taken seriously, right?" Leonard asked.

"Yes," Saavik said, with a curt nod.

"Then explore," Leonard said. "explore the Mountains. Pretty safe."

"Mnih," Saavik said. "that is no place for a child to play."

"Isn't that all what havin' an adventure is about?" Leonard asked. "having fun?"

"Yes," Saavik said. "but I do not feel it is beneficial to David."

"I will be right back," Leonard said, then he reached forward placing a hand on the girl's smaller hand. "I promise ya, I always keep my promises with ya, I don't leave a man or woman behind on my watch. Not ever. I would never leave a child alone for lon'. Ever."

Saavik felt sincere feelings flowing through the bond. Regret and guilt that never occupied it before. She tilted her head then looked up toward the doctor portraying a most befuddled expression. David was gulping down his lemonade. The furniture was mostly uncovered for the best part. There was a distant drumming sound that had been following them all day. It sounded like it was coming from upstairs. And it was even less strangely compelling then the unexpected detection of different, sad emotions.

"Are you all right?" Saavik asked, concerned.

"When ya call me dad, I will be," Leonard said. "That is all I want from y'all," Leonard slid his hand back taking it from Saavik. His eyes traveled over toward the young boy who was looking up toward the ceiling with the cup lowered toward the table. His heart nearly skipped a beat. "David?" David didn't look toward him. "David," Oh god no, they never got rid of the game. "David!" His hand loudly smacked onto the table.

David's hazel eyes looked over toward the older man who had fear in his eyes.

"I change my mind," Leonard said. "I am takin' David, and ya can read a good Vulcanian book!"

"Mnih-" Saavik started.

"Don't argue with me about readin' a good book," Leonard said. "If ya don't like travelin'. The books will do it for ya."

* * *

Nightfall had landed on Vulcan. What was left of the Vulcans who lived there in millions there was only a thousand some lights that emanated from the city making it appear to be one of those cigar like towers near beach sides that served as beacons for ships. The lights were somewhat blinking from the distance. Leonard had tucked the children to their separate beds. If he heard David go toward Saavik's room, he didn't say a thing. His footsteps were heard going up into the attic.

Leonard had a flash light.

"Has to be here somewhere," Leonard said.

Thirty years had passed and he could not hear the drums anymore.

The children could hear it while he couldn't. Perhaps it was his age.

The very thing that had haunted him for days, if not weeks, months, at a time, after Spock's disappearance was somewhere in the well kept but now spider web filled room. Dust was here and there gathering about. He felt like a frightened child being forced to go in by a dare. The nightmares he had as a child were like the game taunting him. Sometimes there were some nightmares of Spock fleeing from a hippo and it seemed like he was going to be trampled. He remembered the lion pride. Leonard remembered how the game seemingly threatened him that he would be next if he returned. In his dreams, that is. Leonard's nightmares about Jumanji were dealt with after crossing paths with Jim on the Farragut. Jim softly sinking him to sleep, holding him, assuring him that he was safe. Leonard helped Jim as the kid had helped him.

It should have been him.

Not Spock, but him alone.

Amanda, Sarek, and Spock.

Spock was, highly likely, to be dead.

No one could possibly survive being sucked into a game.

And likely alive if he never acknowledged the damn _drums_!

He saw the familiar box under several cartons of boxes. He discarded the boxes off then brought it over to the stool. He opened the case to see the totems were just several boxes away from the starting point. He opened the casing. He could do it. He could do it. He had to give it a shot. He was going to face the source of his nightmares in the name of his deceased husband, Captain James T. Kirk. His hand trembled holding it above the game board.

No matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't budge. His hand wouldn't let go of the dice. He was a coward. Why was he bother trying anyway? The chance of his best friend being alive, the chance to undo everything, back to the point before everything turned to shit, and to have healthy but also loving parents back. He just wanted this nightmare to be over. He could only get skeletons or just being killed by the game all together. He placed the dice into the container then wept feeling deep shame. It was a stupid game. A stupid game! He braced himself rocking himself back and forth rhythmically as his sobs deafened. He was able to get a temporary grip over himself. He felt a child's small hand place itself onto his shoulder making him to stop.

Leonard regained his composure.

"I miss him, too, David," Leonard said. "this is all my fault. It's all my damn fault."

David's eyes glanced over toward the game board then came around to face the man.

"There's thin's I haven't told ya," Leonard said.

David raised an eyebrow.

"I was there when Spock vanished," Leonard said. "When I met ya dad, my last name. . . My last name. . ." he paused, briefly closing his eyes, looking back to a time when there was Kirk and Spock alive. "It used to be McCoy," he wiped a tear off his cheek. "It should have been _me_. Not him," he wiped off another tear that was streaking down the side of his face. Other hot, emotional tears were sliding down his cheek. "I am a sorry, bi' ass, screwed up mess."

David reached forward, placing the man into a hug. They were stuck like that, together, for what like half an hour. Leonard's tears stopped and he let go only to see the child had fallen asleep. How was he doing it? Falling asleep so easily. Keeping silence. Not talking when he was spoken to? David had been there at Starbase Yorktown when his father died. He may have seen the man's figure fly out of the starbase. He couldn't be sure. Romaine, a friend of Scotty's was watching the child while they went on their last mission together. Leonard returned back with empty arms then picked up the game. He used the sand alongside the house to cover the hole. The only regret the doctor had was being Spock's friend. Because that may or may not have meant the Vulcan's life being ruined. And his entire culture's lively hood as well.

Leonard wiped off another tear hearing sobbing coming from somewhere.

He walked into the living room to see two figures resting side by side, almost apparitions, almost as he was. A woman crying into her hands. He felt tipsy. Dizzy at first. The energy in the room was different. The woman abruptly stood up then fled toward the door fleeing the house. He saw the Vulcan figure's hand reached out for her. The Vulcan figure looked over toward the counter as though something rested there. He silently stood up walking past the human with a calm, yet composed expression. One hand grazed the side of the rail that was barely hanging on. He had to replace that as soon as possible. The figure clasped a hand on the side of his forehead briefly closing his eyes, as though in emotional pain, then resumed his trek up. The figure vanished.

Now that had to be his imagination.

Then Leonard went upstairs to rest.

 _What a failure. Can't even finish a game once and for all._


	9. Chapter 9

Leonard took a shower first before the children had awaken while singing to himself. He prepared breakfast for the children, as well, timing it to the minute of when they would come down the stairs. It wasn't long until he heard the children racing down the stairs sounding almost like a stampede. Familiar sounds that he heard on away missions. And it wasn't terrifying for the doctor to recall as when it normally happened, he was sitting alongside Jim clear away safely taking in the scenery together. The children speeded to the chairs bumping into each other in the dining room. They scooted into their chairs to see their breakfast. A leaf was floating in the center of the soup like content in the bowl.

"What is this?" Saavik asked, raising an eyebrow. Her brown eyes bore back curiosity toward the older man. Leonard was cutting his pancake with a knife. There was two pieces of yellow, square butter on the center. He poured over steaming, hot blueberry syrup. The doctor looked back up toward the young girl lowering the syrup container onto the table.

"Plomeek soup," Leonard said. "very nutritious."

"I am confused," Saavik said. "why not introduce it to me earlier?"

"Because I hadn't thought of doin' it then," Leonard said. David cut away at his eggs. "and besides, if nothin' else . . ." he paused glancing over toward David then back toward Saavik. "this might be your new normal. Random plomeek soup, for everyone, don't worry. . . David will get his own servin' tonight," The doctor smiled back. "besides, I have somethin' to tell ya about this house. The actual truth. Sweetie."

Saavik looked over toward David then toward the doctor as though she knew something.

"Asides to your last name?" Saavik asked. David chewed the pieces of egg.

"Asides to that," Leonard said. "it's partially the reason why I choose Vulcan over Earth."

"Hmm," Saavik said. "here I thought you wanted to do a part in helping Vulcans get off the brink of extinction."

Leonard nodded.

"That too," Leonard said. "Vulcans need all the help they can get. . . and do ya need to be guided to the VLC?"

"I believe not," Saavik said, checking in for the GPS. The path to the VLC was highlighted in a shade of white. "the child bikes that you acquired for us have the GPS directions keyed in."

"Good, good, good," Leonard said, with a nod. "Is the old VCC in it?"

"The. . . VCC?" Saavik asked.

"Vulcan. Central. Command." Leonard repeated.

"Vulcans has a command central?" Saavik repeated.

"It did. . . when I was Davids age," Leonard said. "they got a new one. It's not on Vulcan, it's on one of the lunar colonies. Larger population there. . ." he took a stab at his pancake. "I take it that you are not goin' the Surak route."

"It's the T'Pau route," Saavik said.

"As in S'Chn T'Gai T'Pau?" Leonard asked. Saavik shrugged. ". . . figures, she was a good prime minister."

"Will you tend to work today at the hospital?" Saavik asked.

"Nah," Leonard said. "I got some work to do in the house. I start work officially tomorrow. Y'all on the other hand. . ." he smiled widely while he had one hand cupping the side of his cheek looking at the two children.

Saavik and David ignored him continuing to eat breakfast. He lowered his hand then resumed finishing his plate. Surely David couldn't hear the drums, plausibly. Not anymore. This won't scar the children as it had for him. The doctor was eased and relaxed. If he wanted them to grow up right then he had to attempt at it. He couldn't face his demons. It was disappointing. Much disappointing as not being able to go through with the second year of the five year mission. Scotty had passed promotion to captaincy. Hikaru accepted it without much argument. Leonard was sure that the Enterprise was going to finish what her first captain had started. Exploring deep space. Leonard's padd beeped as he washed his dish. He placed the dish to the side picking it up while at the kitchen.

 _DR. MCCOY:_

 _THERE IS A PLANETARY EVACUATION ON EARTH. PLEASE CALL YOUR FAMILY. DOOMSDAY MACHINE. PLANET DESTROYER. GOOD LUCK. WILL BE THERE WITHIN THREE DAYS. STAR FLEET HAS BEGAN THE EVACUATIONS. VULCAN HAS BEEN THEORIZED NOT TO BE DESTROYED BY THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE. BE SAFE._

 _ADMIRAL PIKE._

Leonard stood there, feeling as though he were standing in a video game. In a bad nightmare that had gotten worse. He had stepped aside letting the children wash their plates. He looked back at what family were on Earth. Jocelyn and Joanna were somewhere else not on Earth. They would need several starships to perform planetary evacuations. This had to be a joke. He looked up at the email address to see CHRISPIKE . Massive starbases-They had just finished construction of a starbase called Starbase Kirk in his husbands honor. It couldn't be real. It just couldn't be. He rubbed his forehead. Someone obviously hacked into admirals emails and sent this out.

It was a false alarm, it had to be that.

The doctor looked into his email to see spam and some legitimate, real emails.

Hikaru complaining about the new doctor who clearly was out to build a rift between them and the crew. The man was half tempted to lose the new CMO and promote the existing doctor, Geoffrey M'Benga, to head of Sick Bay. Everyone liked the man and got along. Didn't help that the current CMO was a Romulan defector working among them. The CMO didn't even trust the crew they were serving with. A new one appeared in his inbox from Nyota. Leonard smiled seeing the reply worded elegantly as her skill in linguistics regarding the very same email that he got from Pike except she assured him that the issue was being dealt with and not to worry. She also wished him good luck with the house. He replied, "good luck with the CMO." with a smiley face at the bottom. The children returned upstairs in their long sleeved pajamas. He put the padd back onto the table with it on his lock screen. A picture of Kirk smiling back at the camera in his green wrap around tunic per 2263 just before the fatal fly by.

He heard the doorbell ring.

"Huh?" Leonard said. "Who would want to visit this early?"

The doctor came toward the door then opened.

"Greetings," T'Hal said. "I heard from the nearby realtor. . ." she looked at him, oddly, as though recognizing him. "that you purchased the home."

"I did," Leonard said.

"I knew the child of the house," T'Hal said. "Poor boy. I was one of the last to see him."

"That's a shame," Leonard said.

"Did you find the game?" T'Hal asked.

"Game? What game?" Leonard asked, as the older Vulcan eyed at him.

"You know what I am talking about," T'Hal said. "And if they want to be found. The game will make sure they are found. The game has a mind of their own. Crash landed on Vulcan a hundred years ago. Outside our yard. . ." she looked back, sadly, at the memory. "I played it once. I wish to never play it again. I understand why you don't want to continue it. But for the sake of your family, and your friend, _continue_ the game."

"If I were playin' with it," Leonard said. "how would ya even know I was?"

"Given the chain of events, you being the only human stationed here willingly, and living in the household of the s'chn t'gai . . ." T'Hal briefly paused, carefully considering what to say next. "My sister was once in your position," she started to turn away only for the man to reach out grabbing the woman's shoulder. She turned toward the man with a raised, thick eyebrow back at the man. "yes?"

"Will I have to experience if it someone plays it?" Leonard asked. "Not bein' part of the game?"

"You can only offer support and survive them," T'Hal said, as the man's grip slackened. "just as I am doing now."

Leonard let go of the woman's shoulder.

"How did y'all live after all that?" Leonard asked.

"Counseling," T'Hal said. "and lots of it."

"Does it get easier to sleep at night?" Leonard asked.

"Yes," T'Hal said. "but I still do not trust board games because of it." the woman turned away going over to her motorcycle. Leonard followed after her only coming to a stop at the end of the path near the garage. "And. . . no matter how hard you try, you will _never_ move on until the game has been completed," She put on her helmet then got onto the dark gray motorcycle scripted with Vulcan text in bright blue. "take it from a experienced player."

She turned on the large, sleeker version of the kiddie bike then speeded away leaving a trail of dust behind. Leonard walked over to the stairs and waited for the children. If it were a board game then logically would it mean that it was expandable to be played by more than two players? The thought of using his adopted children to save the lives of countless Vulcans in exchange that he lost them. He rubbed both sides of his temples feeling a headache coming on. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. Their needs outweighed a entire species for all that he was concerned. His father. . . his mother. . . Sarek. . . Amanda. . . Didn't they deserve a chance to be alive?

As Sarek would say, "kaiidth".

 _What is, is._

The game terrified him even while being forty years old.

It left a distinctive mark on him for sure. Playing a game did not cause such disturbance like that. Besides, when he played it, he was a child. Perhaps he was over-exaggerating it? Perhaps Spock hadn't been sucked into a game because it was his fault. Perhaps he really had been murdered by Richard for reasons that were unclear. If he wanted to clean up the mess that he had became. . . No, he shouldn't. He would take that step when he best felt . . . It would never happen if he did it that way. If he wanted to bring back David's father, and his own in the process, then he had to tell them after school. He would do it after telling the children the truth. Tonight. Leonard went outside then towed the kiddie bikes out. He parked them in front of the larger motorcycle.

It was painted a dark shade of blue with the medical symbol on both sides at the back.

"Mnih," Saavik said, Leonard jumped turning toward the young girl's direction. "I found another room to the house. A little girl used to live here."

"It's. . ." Leonard stopped. "Ya might learn about her on your first day in the Vulcan Learnin' Center."

"I look forward to learning about her," Saavik said.

David boarded on to his motorcycle in standard Vulcan Learning Center uniform.

"Get on the kiddie bike, y'all," Leonard said. Leonard noticed the VLC uniform almost seemed like a dress on the human child. The new uniform was white. Both of the children were in it. The doctor half wondered to himself how he didn't pay attention to the uniform while going about acquiring them in ShiKahr. ShiKahr was lucky that there were designers still around. The material replicator, however, came in handy for making shoulder bags which Leonard made himself. The shoulder bags were strapped over the children's shoulder. Leonard looked at the two proudly. "I made sure to turn it on."

"You think ahead of yourself," Saavik said.

"If I didn't, y'all would get lost," Leonard said. Saavik put on her helmet. "now what do ya say if Vulcans insult ya?"

"I would say nothing," Saavik said. Leonard nodded in return.

"Ignore them," Leonard said. "at this rate, they can't afford to have children not get alon'. Ya lucky that I have not arranged a arranged marriage," Saavik tilted her head raising her eyebrow clicking the strap under chin. "Yes, they still do that."

"We shall see you after school," Saavik said.

David nodded back.

"Now go," Leonard said. "don't want y'all to be late for school. I love y'all!"

The two speeded down the hill at a reasonable speed of rate making a turn curved right turn then made their way toward ShiKahr. Leonard sped back into the house where he grabbed a shovel. He took his short sleeve shirt off placing it onto the chair leading to the porch. He went outside with the shovel in hand then determinedly dug the the hole. The shovel collided against a hard, tough surface. The Doctor took the board out of the dirt, grunting, dripping sweat. He can feel his sweat going down his skin. He wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead. While also telling himself, _don't be afraid, don't be afraid, don't be afraid, you can hide it from them until tonight. Not like the game is going to make them play it without my attendance._ He hid the box under the bed in his bedroom then returned downstairs where he came over to the material replicator.

He had a lot of work to do to put the house back into it's proud glory.


	10. Chapter 10

The Vulcan Learning Center was a air conditioned and very comfortable. It didn't make the children sweat a beat at all to the pounding outside. David could see a illusion that water was in the distance clear from the window when he knew it wasn't the case. He could see run down parts of ShiKahr. Some parts of ShiKahr that had been well kept and organized, like people still lived there. He saw few dust fliers going from here to there. He saw one half of ShiKahr had little to no activity. He turned his attention away to see a holophotograph that showed a highly active ShiKahr enscribed with the text "2063, ShiKahr." that looked small at first glance from his perspective. He swiped the screen. 2163, ShiKahr was getting larger. He swiped again. ShiKahr was even larger, bustling with life, small dots carrying from here to there in the background. A busting city that had yet. The city hadn't expanded once more, not even a budge. Stagnated, perpetually, as though the population needed for more buildings had fallen.

"Look at that half breed crying," came the loud, high pitched female voice. "you are no Vulcan," the words were hard and sharp to the heart. You don't have a place in this universe."

"These line of insults should not be worth your time," Saavik said, fighting back, verbally, trying to control her emotions.

"What is worth your time being here?" T'Paul asked. "You're a disgrace. You're half Romulan. Romulans have no standing in helping our civilization get back on its feet." The harder Saavik tried to keep the tears from falling, the faster they kept, it was simply not natural for a hybrid like her to conceal her emotions.

"Look," T'Paul's brother, T'Ashalik, said, their attention turned toward the male child. "it's her golden retriever. Coming to save her."

"Brother, don't!" Saavik shouted.

David lunged forward planting the curly haired Vulcan to the floor and delivered a series of punches to the face. T'Ashalik sent a strong blow to the human's face. David gave the curly haired Vulcan a punch to the right eye knocking T'Ashalik down. Saavik came over to the brother as her tears had finally came to a stop. T'Ashalik had a bloody green nose as his colleagues surrounded him. He covered his nose while demanding "Your brother is being emotional, handle him!" T'Paul made a very sensitive comment regarding her Romulan half, making her grasp even harder on her brother's shoulder.

T'Paul went on to insult her being raised by a human. Saavik's grip loosened on David's shoulders from going after T'Paul. Not like she intentionally let go as he was making 'killer eyes' back at the taller Vulcan. T'Paul fought back leaving scars on the young boy's face. A Kelpien came over naturally over shadowing the children at six foot eight while their hooves making sounds against the floor, alongside a shorter Vulcan. David was torn off the older boy to face the blue eyed being with black pupils. The long, spider like brown fingers placed on his shoulders.

"Mister Kirk," Saru said. "violence in these halls is unacceptable."

David stared back at science instructor Saru.

* * *

"Kirk here," Leonard answered, as a swarm of bats were flying over his head. He was pressed down to the floor covering his head. There was a sea of screeching darkness flying over the man's head.

"Doctor Kirk, you are required to pick up your children immediately," came the principal's voice. "One of your children harmed two Vulcanian children sending them to the infimary."

"Damn it, David," Leonard cursed to himself holding the communicator away from his mouth. He was so much like his father. The kid was in every way as a protective older brother. Sometimes it was a gift and a curse. He pressed the phone close to his head. "I will be on my way, Mister Khut."

"Mister Kirk and Miss Saavik will be awaiting you," the principal's voice was calm and collected.

"Wait, what did she do?" Leonard asked.

"She let him attack," came the simple reply.

"Course she did," Leonard said. "See ya there," He closed the communicator looking up to see the bats were gone.

* * *

It had only taken the siblings four hours to get into trouble. They were sitting side by side with their hands on their laps. David's uniform was stained in green blood while he seemed to be perfectly healed as though he hadn't been attacked in the slightest. David was looking down toward his lap with his head lowered mimicking his sister. The children could hear shouting from down the hall that echoed back and it sounded distinctively accusatory. The angry atmosphere lingered as the figure of the man came down the hall with clenched fists followed by Saru. A pair of brown eyes stared down in anger at the children once reaching them. The man folded his arms.

"Do ya have anythin' to say for ya'selves?" Leonard asked.

"They wanted it," Saavik said, lifting her head up toward the man.

"They wanted ya to cry not to hurt them," Leonard said. "Now I have talked to their parents and I am very sure they will not do it any time soon," Saavik tilted her head raising an eyebrow at the man's reply. David shook his head. Leonard always liked to pretend that someone listened after an argument when they didn't. Especially when Kirk wasn't there to smooth the argument out rather diplomatically. "I told ya to _ignore_ them."

"What was said could not be ignored," Saavik said.

"Sweetie, I brought ya here to learn and make friends not enemies," Leonard said. "up."

"Doctor Kirk," Saru began, as the children stood up. "my apologies that your children's first day here ended this way."

"Uh huh," Leonard said, turning away from the bench. "I feel the same," he looked toward the Kelpien. "Say, why is a Kelpien on Vulcan?"

"It is my form of repayment for someone who was so much of a little sister to me," Saru said, following the man down the hall. "Michael Burnham."

"Oh," Leonard said. "she was a nice woman. . . It's a shame that she had to go so youn'."

"Indeed," Saru said, the children tailing behind them. "I was there when she died. Cave in. Juvo Bueo II."

"Hey, that planet is unstable," Leonard said. "that planet is no place to explore."

"We were making sure an archeology crew were able to make their dig," Saru said. "Romulans used to live there, apparently, before migrating their way to Romulus. It was just a ordinary mission."

"I grieve with thee," Leonard said.

"Thank you," Saru said. "if I could done anything different, it would have been me escorting them in."

"Don't let guilt get to ya," Leonard said. "it'll make ya a mess."

"I try," Saru said. "one day at a time."

"I think ya doin' good," Leonard said, earning a head turn from Saru. "better than me."


	11. Chapter 11

Leonard didn't get to tell them that night. He was too angry at Saavik. He had to sleep on it. They ate in silence, as well, with a different meal that night. Leonard retired to bed that night without speaking a word to the children. He had been let on about the total extent of the damage that David had given the children. The house was in tip top shape. The sound of drums was low. They could hear it from the doctors bedroom. The children went to bed that night except David.

David had his head poking out of his bedroom.

Saavik's door opened.

"Go to bed," Saavik said.

David looked toward her.

"No," David said. "Where is the drumming coming from?"

"I dunno and I don't want to know," Saavik said.

"I can't sleep with questions on my mind," David said.

"He is playing with drums that he keeps hidden," Saavik said. David raised his eyebrows back at her.

"Why would he do that?" David asked.

"He is testing us," Saavik said. "punishing us for being suspended."

"If I could believe that, I would," David said. "I would. . . But he is giving us the silent treatment."

"I never seen him this angry before," Saavik said. "it's like he is disappointed in us. That we're repeating . . . something."

"Something that you can't put your finger on," David said.

"History," Saavik said. "it's history to him but news to us."

The two siblings shared a glance.

"I wonder if he was Spock's friend," David said.

"Let's ask him in the morning," Saavik said. "Go to bed."

"No, you," David said.

"No,you," Saavik said.

"You," David argued.

"You," Saavik said.

"You," David said.

"All right," Saavik said. "how about we both sleep together tonight? Is that fair?"

"Sure," David said. "which one of us has the larger bed is the most important question."

"Hmm. . ." Saavik said. "I was given the larger bed. I think it used to belong to another family member in this house. I am not entirely convinced they had two children in the house. Like, look at all those locked rooms around the house," she gestured about toward the closed doorways. "this must have been a family that adopted a lot or had a lot of blood relatives in their family."

"Vulcans tend to have a high fertility rate," David said. "If they have a basement devoted to more rooms, that is top secret, I won't be surprised."

"And here I thought you humans bred like rabbits," Saavik said.

"Hey!" David said. "straight couples are the ones of my species who breed like rabbits!"

Saavik raised an eyebrow.

"Then what about your mother and father?" Saavik said.

"I was an accident," David said. "they don't have to say. But I know. It was a one time thing."

"When did you first figure it out?" Saavik said.

"When did you figure out that you weren't supposed to be born in a hell hole?" David asked.

"Pretty quickly when I was old enough," Saavik said. ". . . How about my bedroom? I got a larger picture of Jim and Mnih."

"I am in," David said, ducking into Saavik's room.

David slid into bed coming to the side where laid on the counter was a holophotograph of Kirk and Leonard side by side in off duty attire. Leonard's hand was wrapped around Kirk's waist as the man's hand was wrapped around the doctor's waist while they were both beaming at once with wide smiles. Saavik slid into bed alongside the child. She fit behind him with one hand cupping the side of her cheek. She had propped herself up to see the photograph as well.

"I miss him too," Saavik said.

"Do you think . . ." David said. "that. . . dad?"

"He would know what was going on," Saavik said. "he always does."

"You are right," David said. "he would."

"And he would tell us everything," Saavik said. "everything. . ."

David put down the photograph then closed his eyes as did Saavik. Their eyes flipped open, unexpectedly. Saavik and David turned in the direction of the door side by side hearing their hearts beating fast against their chests. Our scene panned over to Leonard bolting up from bed, "No!" he cried. He sat on the edge of the bed going through his hair. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. He rubbed his forehead. His padd was beeping from alongside his elbow. He picked it up placing it onto his lap. It was from New Vulcan Central Command. He opened the email.

 _Doctor Leonard Kirk:_

 _Starting tomorrow, there will be a evacuation of ShiKahr. You will be required to enter work early. Full Vulcanian children, expectant parents, and the elderly are the first to be evacuated. In the event that this is a false alarm, childless couples are not required to leave. Those engaging in Kolinahr will be evacuated, those involved in Kahswan will be evacuated, herds of sehlats and other wildlife are being evacuated in numbers as you read this. There will not be any school tomorrow for the Vulcan Science Academy including with the plants. Historical relics have been evacuated. Elders are being evacuated. You and your family are more than welcome to join the evacuation._

 _Sincerely_

 _T'Hal._

He looked closely.

It was sent nine hours ago.

So someone went over to new VCC regarding the plausible threat.

No new messages from the Enterprise. Nothing. Dead space.

It worried the doctor.

The doctor turned the padd off then placed himself onto the bed placing both hands behind his head. Normally he would have a message from Scotty, Uhura, Pavel, Hikaru, or Christine. Scotty hadn't smiled since Jim died. It seemed like he would never smile again. Uhura was still Uhura. Sulu was keeping things together the best he could. Stopping them from falling apart at the seams. Leonard placed his two warm blankets onto his chest turning to his side. He could hear the sobbing of the woman from downstairs. The sobbing made him feel like he wasn't the only one still grieving. In a way he was still grieving for the loss of his sun. Vulcans were going to come right back. He didn't have to leave.

Leonard's eyes bolted open when he heard the sound of drums in his sleep with wide, terrified eyes.

He didn't fall to sleep that night and simply watched the stars, spending the rest of the morning watching some dots in the sky vanish one by one distantly.


	12. Chapter 12

"Doctor Kirk, you are required to arrive in thirty-three minutes," came one of the physicians over the communicator.

"On my way," Leonard said. "Kirk out."

Leonard closed the communicator. He had taken a shower just five minutes earlier. T'Khut had yet to make its way out of orbit, yet. Vulcan nights were long. Very long. Almost one made one feel there was no such thing as tomorrows. He put on his medical whites then straightened the uniform out. He zipped up his white boots. Brushed his bangs giving them the distinctive sweep to the right rather to the left. He didn't look young anymore, he looked older, with aged bags under his eyes. Heavier, even, when it came to him getting lack of sleep. He made his way toward Saavik's room.

The doors opened.

The doctor leaned against the door frame watching the sleeping children.

They didn't have bad dreams, surely, could they?

David on the other hand, might.

Leonard heard whimpering from the other side of the bed.

He was by the boy's side in a heart beat then placed his hand on the child's shoulder.

David stopped whimpering as the doctor's hand combed down the child's shoulder. The doctor softly sang a song to the child. David calmed down falling back to sleep. Leonard placed a kiss on the child's forehead. He looked over to see Saavik resting on her side away from the man. He got up from the bed then made his way out. It was decided, that he would tell them. The doctor made his way down the stairs. The air was still. Not a sound to be heard. The house was fully repaired except for a room that was locked. He couldn't get into it. The console on the side only registered DNA of the original owners. The doctor came outside going to the garage. The garage door opened before the man's presence. He put on his white helmet, knee pads, arm padds, and his motorcycle jacket. He turned on the motorcycle then speeded his way down the hill.

* * *

Light peaked through David's closed eyes. The sound of tribal drums grew loud and louder drawing the child awake. He rubbed the dust out of his eyes then fell out of bed with a thud. He stood up stretching his arms. He saw Saavik standing in the doorway with one hand on the edge. His stomach growled, loudly. Saavik turned in his direction raising an eyebrow seemingly confused.

"Did you not eat your dinner last night?" Saavik asked.

"The heat killed my appetite," David said,

". . . Then who ate your dinner?" Saavik said.

"No one did," David said. "and I am hungry."

"Mnih has breakfast ready," Saavik said. "it'll wait until we get dressed."

"Uh, I don't smell breakfast," David said.

"I will make breakfast!" Saavik said, then darted out of the bedroom.

"Wait, sister!" David shouted, running after her.

"Last one down is a rotten egg!" Saavik said.

"You wish," David replied.

Saavik turned her head toward David then stuck her tongue out. They speded down the stairs loudly stomping their sockless feet against the floor. The children playfully shoved each other heading to the base. Saavik sped up landing onto the floor gliding across the hall coming to a stop in front of the door. David laughed, whole heartedly, then made a mad dash to the kitchen. The boy's laughter died abruptly. Saavkik made her way into the kitchen to see only David standing there.

"We could not have slept in," Saavik said,

"We do have impeccable timing," David said.

"I bet that he had some emergency," Saavik said. "I will make breakfast if that is the case."

"Uh, you never were taught to make breakfast," David said, as the younger child went over to the large, white object with two doors.

"I lived with Ellie," Saavik said. "wonderful woman."

"Ellie, as in, Eleanor?" David asked.

"Uh huh," Saavik took out the carton of eggs. "Go take a shower."

"Nah, I rather wait," David said. "Don't want to be late for school."

"If you don't want to be late then you shouldn't be sitting down at the table," Saavik said.

"Do I have to?" David asked.

"Yes," Saavik said. "I'll be right up after you," she took out two gloves. "without burns."

"All right. . ." David said, then he returned upstairs.

It took a few minutes for Saavik to make breakfast. Her hands followed the same movement that she had mimicked from Eleanor. Her mind flashing back to the woman gently singing to herself while hiding behind a wall. Not knowing whether or not to open herself up to the woman. Unsure whether to trust her, her new caregiver, in the beginning. The dark, short woman turning her head then smiling at her direction. Her graying curls resting on her shoulders. Saavik sang in a low voice to herself. She missed Eleanor. Within twenty minutes, the two were eating scrambled eggs with toasts in their school outfit. The communicator beside Saavik's arm made a series of beeps. Saavik flipped open the device.

"Kirk residence," Saavik said.

"Doctor Kirk informed me to call you at this time that he will return in forty-nine minutes to evacuate," came the healer's voice. "and school is not in session," the two shared a long look. "live long and prosper."

They turned toward the staircase feeling terrified. There was a tense atmosphere in the kitchen. Saavik closed the communicator placing it into her pocket. They finished their breakfast then speeded up the stairs side by side. The doors to the bedroom opened. David and Saavik knelt side by side by the bedside. The game was slid out and the drumming stopped. They speeded up stairs where they came to find old furniture in the attic. The game was placed open onto a small desk to see two tokens laid there on the board, an elephant and a rhino. David tugged at the rhino piece.

"It seems to be microchipped," David said.

"Or someone played it before us," Saavik said. "logically, Mister Spock played it before his departure."

"Shame he never go to finish it," David said, taking out the last two pieces. In his hand was a lion token and a crocodile token. He fiddled with the two tokens in his hand that sounded a lot like commercialized colored rocks. "we should finish it."

"We?" Saavik said.

"It can't be played by one player," David said. "looks like two to four players are the preference."

Saavik folded her arms looking upon the board.

"If it wants to be played. . . we'll give it a ride," Saavik said. "give me the crocodile."

"Here," David handed the token to Saavik. "our turn." David placed his lion token at a empty starting space. Saavik did the same.

"If we don't get this game done before Mnih gets back, he is going to kill us," Saavik said, earning a eyebrow raise from David. "it says this all can be undone if one of us wins and calls out it's name. Therefore, we can still escape Vulcan with our lives and find ourselves a new home."

"Sounds like a good idea," David said, as Saavik took out the dice.

"Here goes nothing," Saavik said, then rolled the dice onto the board.

The dice landed on a six onto the board. The hippo moved forward stunning Saavik and David. David looked under the box to find there was nothing. There was no sign entrance port of any kind on both sides of the game board. It did not have a touch screen. Lacked padd like fixtures. Didn't have any drilled in parts to the wooden structure. David put the object down as words slowly formed on the black center. Saavik raised an eyebrow at the unexpected development. A object that looked so old and twenty first century old.

"A tiny bite can make you itch, make you sneeze, make you twitch," David read.

"Mosquitoes," Saavik said.

David looked up with widened eyes.

"MOSQUITOES!" David shouted stumbling back.

Saavik turned, abruptly, to see the large buzzing insect alongside her.

"Holy Surak," Saavik said, with a low voice but intrigued expression.

Saavik reached over grabbing a equally as large racquet. David shielded his head narrowly missing the mosquito. Saavik, with great intent, aimed for the mosquito attempting to jab at her. She struck the mosquitoes sending it flying through the air right through a circular window. The other mosquitoes followed suit buzzing away. Saavik lowered the racquet onto the nearby chair. David could still hear his heart beating in a rush in his ears. He took deep breaths recomposing himself. Saavik placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder gently reassuring him that he was safe. Saavik held David in her arms rubbing his back assuring him that he was safe.

"Thank you," David said. Saavik let go of the boy. "let's get this game over with."

Saavik returned to the other side of the board.

"Your turn," Saavik said.

"Here I come," David shook the dice in his hands then tossed them onto the board. He rolled a two.

They leaned forward toward the black sphere,

"This will not be an easy mission, monkeys slow the expedition," Saavik said.

"Oh no," David said.

"Monkeys?" Saavik squeaked.

"Monkeys," David said.

Saavik's eyes widened and so did David's.

"MONKEYS!" the two repeated.

They fled down the stairs hearing odd, loud noises from below. The children came to a stop seeing the kitchen overran by monkeys. The refrigerator doors were open. Knives, forks, and spoons were being tossed about. A kitchen utility bowl was being used as a toy by a large monkey that had a baby monkey strapped onto them. One of the light gray, dark gray monkeys was bathing themselves in the sink. David turned away then fled back up stairs when the alpha screamed at him. Saavik followed suit up the stairs with her adoptive sibling. They came back to the board game. They heard the sound of monkey like noises from outside. They darted toward the window to see they had somehow escaped the house with one of them wearing a hat. Leonard's hat. They returned to the game. David handed the dice back toward the hybrid who shook her hand.

"You've rolled a double," Saavik said. "still your turn."

David rolled the dice. He landed a five.

"Please no anaconda's," David whispered. "Please no anaconda's. Please no anacondas."

They looked over the sphere.

"His fangs are sharp. He likes your taste. Your party better move poste haste," Saavik read.

"Tiger?" David asked, visibly relieved.

"That fits about a dozen so feline like animals," Saavik said.

"Leopard? Jaguar? Cheetah?" David asked.

"Could be anything," Saavik shrugged.

The sound of piano keys being stepped on swept through the room. They turned to see a darkness covering half of the room. Saavik's heart started to race. The sound of unusual, deep mwering came forth. The two turned their heads in the direction of the source. A lion stepped forth with intent, hungry eyes. David stepped in the way of Saaving feeling her trembling, terrified breath. The lion looked more like a terrible animatronic from the late 20th century had come to life.

"Relax, Saavik," David said, taking her hand. "it's only a bad, early variation of a holographic lion."

"Shouldn't it be sizzling?" Saavik asked.

"Yes," David said. "it should be."

The lion leapt off a crate landing to the floor earning a scream from the children. The children fled down the stairs screaming. David was leading Saavik down the stairs. The lion colliding against the wall then resumed his chase after the two. The lion leaped down over a rail landing in front of the children. Saavik stepped forward blocking the view of David letting go of his hand. The lion growled showing off his long, sharp teeth back at the siblings.

A figure came out of the shadows tossing a medium sized rock at the beast. The lion yelped turning around. The man had long, raven hair that was braided. He had a long, pointy thick beard. He had a necklace that had the IDIC made out of unusual metal wrapped around his neck. There were small Vulcan calligraphy seen on both sides of his face. He had long pointy metal additions onto his pointy ears. The lion growled following the Vulcan into the next room. Spock leapt aside sending the lion in. The doors shut on the Vulcan so he pressed on the nearby panel locking it. He turned away from the door listening to the clawing. His brown eyes landed on the two.

"You are S'Chn T'Gai Spock," Saavik said. "Son of Sarek,son of Skon, son of Solkar."

"Yes," Spock said. He directed his eyes toward Saavik "Did my mother adopt another Vulcan?" he looked toward David. "James. . . James?" he started to reach his hand forward but he stopped mid way when he saw David step back hiding behind Saavik. "Why. . you have grown," he turned away from the two. "Mother? Father? Sister?"

The siblings were unable to speak as realization dawned on the two. Spock returned to the kitchen where he saw a mess resting on the floor. Spock wore a long dress like garment covering his lower exterior. He had shoulder padds along his wooden, well carved shoulder padds. He had a sheath for a long blade along his waist. Spock began to clean up the mess left on the floor silently placing the thrown out food into a pile. The children slowly made their way down the stairs. The mess was cleaned. Spock opened the cabinet door then fell back with a shout at a small monkey. The monkey fled past the Vulcan going off toward the door. Spock sent a silent deathly glare at the two children.

"My name is David," David said. "David Kirk. Dad died a few years ago."

"Saavik," Saavik said. "your mother didn't adopt us. Nor your father."

Spock looked at them bewildered.

"We live here," David said.

"Who rolled the five or eight?" Spock asked. Saavik stepped aside.

"He did," Saavik gestured toward David.

"Nemiayo," Spock said, bowing his head. He went toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Saavik asked.

"To speak with my father!" Spock said, and the door closed behind him.

"I have a bad feeling about this," David said.

"Come on!" Saavik said, then they went after the Vulcan.


	13. Chapter 13

Spock sped his way into ShiKahr. Following the path that his memory had retained like a crystal. Permanently embedded in his memory. He slowed his pace down to see there were Vulcanian ships lifting off. A few were landing. He noticed they were surrounding the entire city in vast numbers. He could see parked vehicles left on the street. His father had to be at Central Command. There had to be a explanation behind the current state of Vulcan. He couldn't feel the family bond with his adopted sister, brother, father, mother, or any of his family members. Spock noticed there were graffiti about on the buildings that had started to fade. There was no familiar faces. He came across a statue of Surak that seemed to be covered in graffiti with the pointy nose chipped away and the ears no longer retaining their pointed tips.

The statue had not been taken care of properly in some time.

Spock saw a male parent carrying a crying toddler screaming, "Hafau nash-veh, sa-mekh! Hafau nash-veh, sa-mekh! HAFUA NASH-VEH, SA-MEKH!"

"Nirsh, nash-veh bolau tor rish-tor," came the calm, collected reply.

"Mister Spock!" Saavik called. "Simhoni!"

"He does not understand Romulan, idiot!" David shouted back.

"Damn it," Saavik muttered to herself.

Spock made his way up the stairs. There were padds left on the floor. They were cracked, de-powered, and looked old. There was a collection of dust on the stairs. Central command appeared to be not taken care of. The windows were shattered beyond repair. The pairs of doors were gone. They used to be large. Big and definitive. He walked into the building. The holophotographs were crashed to the floor with pieces of screenery surrounding the metal. Spock saw a faintly powered padd laid on the floor. He picked it up then slid the red, cool dust off the surface. The hands holding the device were nearly digging in to break it apart. His emotional control was beginning to fail him. The large words made him see red. Instead, Spock dropped the device as his nostrils flared. His head heated. His family bonds had shattered upon being taken into Jumanji. Every single one.

"Father?" Spock called. "Father?"

He wondered about the scenery.

"Father?" His shaking, well aged voice carried throughout the wide unoccupied halls. "Father!"

It was his years of emotional control that kept him from becoming a train wreck. Years and years worth of it. Trying to be a Vulcan. Trying to follow Surak's teachings. A struggle to find vegetation that wouldn't kill him. His pace had slowed down making his way up the manual stairs. The children were not far off behind him. His hand grazed the side of the wall. Memories of Leonard playing tag with him running up the stairs only to be chided by Andrew. The dust cleared away to reveal the gray wall structure. He continued his path up the path way. Sarek's office was on the second floor. Easily nearby the conference room. Spock's feet felt heavy and heavier. Spock blindly went down the hall. His feet were the only automated joints moving in motion following a path that he had replayed over and over in his memory. To think of the better times.

"Father?" Spock saw a large, young sehlat resting by a desk.

Behind the desk laid a crown of silver in a dark chair.

"Father?" Spock said, stepping forward.

The sehlat looked up toward Spock tilting their head.

"I am not your father," the figure turned the chair away from the broken window. Spock recognized him. "Please, call me Selek," he gave the ta'al. His face softened. "so . . . you must be Spock?" the elderly Vulcan straightened in his chair.

"I am Spock," Spock said. "Where is our father?"

"He died a month ago," Selek said. "I made sure his katra was taken to the ancient hall. The new one."

"How could you?" Spock asked. "How could you? Stand there? How long?"

"Someone had to assure him that his son would be back," Selek said.

"How many times?" Spock asked.

"Until the end of our companionship," Selek said. "he needed it more than anything. . . "

"You gave him false hope," Spock said.

"Not at all," Selek said.

"He never saw me again," Spock said. "and everyone I knew is _dead_."

"I told him that his son would return and he has," Selek took out folded attire walking around the desk with one hand placed onto the sehlat's furry, warm forehead. "I grieve with thee. . ." the elder stepped forward toward the younger man. "please, take it."

"How long has it been?" Spock asked.

"Thirty years to the day," Selek said.

"Thirty years," Spock repeated.

"Not everyone is dead, Mister Spock," Selek said. "there is hope in the impossible."

"Do you have a life?" The elder looked upon the younger sadly.

"It's a game," Selek said. "It is a stupid, _stupid_ game." the last part came out emotionally.

"Was mother there?" Spock asked.

"She was gone before I arrived," Selek said.

"Tushah nash-veh k'du," Spock said.

"Nemiayo," The elder said. His small, pea like eyes full of sympathy with a background of sadness at once.

"Dif-tor heh smusma," Spock said, then he turned away and headed his way out.

"Sochya eh dif . . ." Selek watched Spock exit the room. The children were standing at the corner of the room then turned their attention toward Selek. "It is nice to see you again. . I only wish it was in better circumstances."

The children dashed out of the room leaving the elder behind, once more. Spock was walking down the steps as his mother's voice echoed in his mind, "you can get to think how we are trying our best to raise you." He was raised mostly by a jungle. Surviving it. Several close calls. The Vulcan didn't like to count anymore about these close calls. The game hated him, that much was clear. And he did not know why. It was a illogical situation to be in. His emotional control was successful. Never again would he speak to his mother. Never again would he speak to his father. He spent his life running on foot. He spent his life fleeing from a hunter. A hunter who made him feel like a child. He never felt a day old. Felt like a nightmare that would never end. And he was going to escape it. So he ignored the children who followed him back.


	14. Chapter 14

"You speak Romulan," Spock finally said, once reaching the house turned toward the children's direction.

"Yes," Saavik said.

"You look Vulcan," Spock said. "I always thought Romulans were . . different."

"Hybrid, half Vulcan," Saavik said. "I do not have the forehead crest for that reason."

"She is a survivor," David said, with a nod.

"Can you help us?" Saavik asked.

"No," Spock said, placing his hand on the lit panel. "that I will not."

The door opened before the Vulcan. Spock made his way in followed by the two. He made his way in the general direction of the bathroom. The door opened before him to reveal a clean, well kept bathroom. A generated roll of toilet paper resting beside the toilet. The Vulcan sighed in relief. "No more banana leaves." The doors closed behind him. He picked up a pair of scissors standing in front of the mirror. He needed a shower. Right after a well deserved hair cut and shave. He clipped away at his overgrown hair getting rid of it in clumps. Spock stepped into the sonic shower afterwards.

Warm, hot water beating against his skin. The ink remained on his skin. The pieces of metal were left on the counter. Spock stepped out of the shower very dry. The Vulcan quietly dressed himself as the roomba cleaned up the mess of hair. Spock exited the bathroom only to be faced with the game in their hands. The next thing David knew was that he had fallen and Saavik was shaking him by the shoulders. The game was resting in his arms. Spock was searching for edible food that hadn't been tossed out by the monkeys. Saavik helped David to his feet. They came over into the clean kitchen to see the Vulcan sitting at the table eating plomeek soup with a spoon.

"Are you aware what is going on?" Spock asked.

"There's a evacuation," Saavik said. "other than that, no idea."

"Your adopted parents must be busy helping ShiKahr, are they not?" Spock asked.

"Definitely," David said. "it's been a little over forty minutes. I honestly think its taking longer then expected."

"Then you must leave to join them," Spock said.

"I rather leave when this game is finished," Saavik sat across from Spock alongside her brother. "get it done before we leave the planet. Only take an hour or two to finish."

"I was once like you," Spock said. "the only thing I can do now is pick up the pieces and make a new life."

"You won't be able to if you keep letting fear get to you," David said. "don't let it control you."

"I am not scared," Spock said.

"Come on, Saavik," David said. "we have a game to finish."

Spock stood abruptly in their path blocking from going forward leaving his eyes.

"You think that mosquitoes, monkeys, and lions are bad?" Spock asked. "That is just the beginning. I've seen things you've only seen in your nightmares. Things you can't even imagine. Things you can't even see. There are things that hunt you in the night. Then you hear animal or human screams. Then you hear them eating, and you hope to God that you're not dessert. Fear? You don't even know what fear is. You would not last five minutes without me."

"So you'll help us?" Saavik asked.

"I shall watch." Spock said. "You must leave the game out of this room. I do not need reminders while I eat."

"Dad will love this," David said, then they slipped away from the Vulcan leaving him alone to eat.

Holy Surak, the plomeek soup was better than he remembered.


	15. Chapter 15

Spock returned to his bedroom. It was well kept. He saw the holophotograph laid face down on the counter. The Vulcan gently picked it up. to find his personal padd left untouched but covered in dust. He lifted the object up dusting both of the frames off. He looked down toward his family photograph. He turned the padd on then searched information regarding his father. Questions that he hadn't bothered to ask his counterpart. The VCC was in ruin. Headlines popped up

 _Boltaruan RICHARD TYRONE ARRESTED FOR MURDER OF S'CHN T'GAI SPOCK_

 _RICHARD TYONE SENTENCED TO THIRTY-YEARS FOR THE MURDER OF S'CHN T'GAI SPOCK_

 _AMBASSADOR SAREK HAS BEEN SUED FOR BANNING HUMANS FROM VULCAN._

 _AMANDA GRAYSON, DEAD, BY SHUTTLE CRAFT ACCIDENT._

 _SAREK HAS GONE MISSING._

 _VULCAN HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS. WILL SAREK RETURN?_

Spock dropped the device stifling back a tear. He looked around scanning for any sight of the children then cried in increments. He placed a hand on his forehead as tears rolled down his cheeks. T'Pau had died of a broken heart upon Amanda's death, three weeks afterwards, and her bondmate followed suit. Skon, and Solkar, died shortly after Sarek's. The S'Chn T'Gai Clan was only mentioned by obituaries. He was the only member left of it He stopped weeping, recomposing himself, feeling layer upon layer of guilt. Sybok was gone. There was no faint family bond lingering. He straightened himself up. Spock calmly made his way out of the bedroom. He walked down the stairs with one hand on the railing, calmly. He made his way into the living room where the two children had laid the board game on the refurnished room.

"Are you all right?" David asked.

"Adequate," Spock replied. David handed the dice to Saavik.

"If my other dad were here, he would call that bullshit," David said.

"David!" Saavik said. "Watch your language." then she rolled the dice.

She got a seven. The token refused to budge. She tossed it again to get a four. It did not move.

"It's not moving," David said.

"It's broken," Saavik said, as Spock stared at the pieces.

"Saavik went first, then I got double. . ." David said. "must be low on solar power."

Spock came over placing his hand on the small token.

"It is not low on power," Spock said, earning an eyebrow raise from the two. "it is waiting for another player to take his turn."

"Your turn?" Saavik asked, taking the dice.

"No," Spock said. "I had a friend who returned my bike: we played together. He rolled, and then there was bats, I rolled, and was sucked into the game. . ." the children grew dawned realizations. "that child was Leonard McCoy."

"No wonder he hates bats so much," Saavik said, in a low voice.

Spock looked over toward Saavik.

"Pardon me?" Spock asked. "McCoy's are banned from Vulcan."

"He changed his last name to Kirk," Saavik said. Spock's eyebrows nearly vanished under his hairline. "he is at the Vulcan Medical Center. Going to be here any minute."

"Any minute," David said. "If we don't have to go on and pick him up."

"I have a better idea," Spock said. "wait five minutes. If he does not come by then, we will go and pick him up."

"Logical," Saavik said.


	16. Chapter 16

Vulcan newborns did not cry upon being born. It was perhaps one of the oddities of Vulcan delivery. And what was also about a Vulcan delivering a child is that when they are in delivery, they could give birth at any time at any hour. So far today, he had to deliver one hundred to three hundred Vulcan babies. Right after having the father cut the cord and do all the paperwork quickly. Holding the newborns in his hands. His eyes swept the sight of heavily pregnant mothers being given company by their bondmates. They were eerie calm as though it was a typical day on ShiKahr with their well dressed demeanor. It looked to be enough people to fill the evacuation shuttle.

"Raise your hand if your contractions are to the point of delivery," Leonard called.

Five raised their hands.

"All right, the rest of y'all still in labor will go in groups of five with family," Leonard announced. "The rest will be delivered safely by volunteer nurses by my side," the doctor was flanked by shorter Vulcans who quickly took the expectant parents. "In the next thirty-three minutes, the remaining pregnant women and men will be evacuated in the last emergency medical evacuation craft. The evacuation will be nearly completed."

Leonard surveyed the sight of the packed room.

"All right," Leonard said. "Follow me."

The Vulcans stood up from their chairs following after the human like a stray of ducklings. The wide, octagon shaped doors opened before the doctor the series of Vulcans behind him. Leonard stepped aside then gestured them into the wide medical shuttle craft. The couples boarded the ship one by one. Leonard stood counting heads. He count to himself. The room for his family and nursing staff was dwindling one by one. There were ten seats left when the final Vulcan seated themselves. Leonard did the math in his mind regarding the nursing staff and his family. Leonard gave some thought to people who he had just gotten to meet might have some family. They didn't have the room to evacuate themselves. Standing was not an option in evacuating shuttles. The next evacuation shuttle wouldn't make it until nightfall struck.

Today was day two. Tomorrow could be the landing of the doomsday machine. Whatever it was, Leonard would never see the crew of the Enterprise again, either way, because they would have done their best to destroy it or die trying. He checked the list of people required to evacuate. Eleven names were on the list. David and Leonard were left out. No, he wasn't going to let her go. Could she gain trust once more with her foster parents? The kind that had taken years to build with her? It would take longer. He lowered the padd to see the wheelchairs wheeled to the entrance. A look of sorrow and hurt spread on his face. He saw the bondmates holding each of their silent newborns in their arms that were in pairs. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few.

"Ten seats," Leonard said. "get 'em aboard the shuttle."

The Vulcans walked aboard the shuttle craft. Leonard tapped on the small, mobile padd signalling the last shuttle craft to depart. The doors closed beside him for the final time. The shuttle flew off into the sky leaving only the hangar behind. The doctor and his crew watched the last remaining shuttle crafts join the medical emergency shuttle craft to depart through the atmosphere. The sight felt like an end to the doctor. A definite end. He turned in the direction of his nursing staff.

"Have any of ya engaged in a bondin' ceremony?" Leonard asked.

The Vulcans shook their heads.

"I am not goin' to ask ya to stay here," Leonard said. "there won't be any incidents any time soon here. I am closin' the facility-" his communicator rang. The doctor took out the communicator. "Vulcan Medical Center here, how can we help you?" he listened turning away appearing to be startled. "What? Sudden induced heart attacks?" He rubbed the back of his neck wrapping his mind around the sudden news. "All right, send them here. What's causin' this heart attack out break?" he nodded, gravely. "Thank ya for the heads up. Ya are greatly appreciated." he flipped the object to a close. "Do any of ya want to die helpin' people or die at any sacred sites?"

"We come to serve, doctor," came the sound reply from the head nurse. The other Vulcans nodded.

"Good," Leonard said. "the patients will be here in five minutes. Let's make sure we give them enough time to spend on this planet under their own choice."


	17. Chapter 17

_"Leonard Kirk?" came a voice behind the doctor._

 _Leonard turned away from his head nurse._

 _"Yes?" Leonard said, facing a shorter man._

 _He felt something jab pierce through into his skin. A sharp, blazing pain in his heart. He reached out grabbing onto the man's shoulder for support. He had been stabbed in the chest. Leonard's voice began to tremble forming only the words 'why?' with hurt in his eyes. Deep, flaring hatred reflected back at the doctor. There was a faint flicker of recognition staring at the man. Where had Leonard seen that face before? The doctor looked back at his life. The blade stuck into his chest twisted. His medical whites began to be stained in red._

 _"You ruined my life," No, he hadn't, not on Earth at least-suddenly, it dawned on the doctor. "Time I repay that."_

 _Richard Tyrone, the name flickered in the doctor's head as he started to fall. He should have stayed to tell the truth. But facing the game again so soon after seeing a child sucked into a game wouldn't have been the most recommended. Richard stepped back then vanished among the chaos unfolding around the doctor. The weapon that had been used was left on the scene. Now Leonard would never face his demons. The doctor lost consciousness as a nurse came to his side._

 _"Doctor!"_

 _Leonard's eyes closed._

* * *

"I remember it was larger," Spock commented, once they approached the steps leading in.

The two turned their attention toward the Vulcan.

"You visited here?" David asked.

"Field trip," Spock replied, aptly. "I was five years old. . ."

". . . Five year old's normally do not get tours of an academy," Saavik said. "sounds like your parents had to pay a visit."

"Speaking of parents," Spock said. "Saavik, is he your father?"

"Adopted," Saavik said. "so was David. He adopted us."

"Fascinating," Spock muttered, then went into the building followed by the children through the wide, see through doors.

Spock came to a abrupt stop once entering the room making the children collide against him.

Right in the center of the lobby absorbing in what was seen about the scenery.

The children stepped back to get a look at what stopped him. There were more chairs littering the scene that were otherwise empty except for a lone, sagged Vulcan in dark attire leaned against the side of the chair. A gasp escaped from David darting over toward the Vulcanian woman. Saavik followed suit. They didn't have a receptionist on duty behind the counter. There were data padds scattered about the table. Some of which were left on the floor. It looked like there had been a evacuation of some sort held in the lobby that had plenty of jeweler left behind. Including a Sehlat doll. David placed a hand on the side of the Vulcan's neck.

"It's T'Press," Saavik said. "she was our realtor."

"Ow," David said. "she got bitten by some thing."

"What did you let out?" Spock asked.

"You," Saavik said.

"Lion," David said.

"And the monkeys," Saavik asked. David snapped his fingers.

"Oh!" David said. "Mosquitoes!"

"She requires medical attention," Spock said, picking up the large woman into his arms.

Spock carried the woman down the corridor to come into a more active variation of the lobby where there were a couple nurses going here and there retrieving medical supplies. A nurse approached slightly gasping at the new patient. Spock handed the woman over to the nurses allowing her to be slide away. His gaze turned in the direction of the Kelpien exiting a room appearing to be disturbed. Beside the Kelpien sat a trembling nurse in her chair. Saru stopped in his tracks appearing to be perplexed then he approached the children.

"How did you know?" Saru asked.

"Know what?" Saavik asked. "We're here to pick up our guardian."

"Oh," Saru said, then he looked over toward Spock. "Do I know you?"

"You do not," Spock said.

"You look familiar, any family work in Star Fleet?" Saru asked.

"No," Spock said. "However, I am part of his family."

"Good," Saru said. "family is all he needs now. . ." he looked toward the children. "and rest."

"What happened to him?" Saavik asked, sounding concerned.

"Doctor McCoy was stabbed in the heart," Saru said. "We were able to give him a cardiac heart. A old one that hadn't been used. Go in, I was just about to call you."

"Can we take him back to the house?" Spock asked.

"If that is how you want to spend the last fleeting hours of life, go ahead," Saru said. "goodbye, Mister. . ."

"Selek," Spock said.

"Goodbye, Mr Selek," Saru went past the man.

"Come, children," Spock said, taking their hands then made his way into the room.

There he saw Leonard laid on a biobed in a two piece outfit. The children came in front of him coming to the doctor's side. Leonard's world slowly became back into focus. His heavy eyes began to open from the wooshing sound. The doctor felt clear headed and-felt like he had something heavy in his chest. It felt irregular, circular, and different. He had a mechanical heart inside him. His head was propped up against a pillow. His mind was clouded by the dark lingering fog. Leonard briefly closed his eyes then reopened them to see his two children by his bedside. The good doctor relaxed reaching his hand out.

"David, Saavik," Leonard said. "how was the trip here?"

"It was adequate," Saavik said. "there is something of more importance that you must be told."

"That we're not leavin' a doomed planet?" Leonard asked. "I know, I am sorry. . . I just didn't want ya to go through the same difficulty that ya had here familiarizin' ya'self to us and the Vulcan children's insults," the doctor had a look of regret. "I am sorry I wasn't there but I am goin' to be there for what happens next as your pa. Not this time. Not like last time. We didn't have an adult to supervise us then. It's haunted me for thirty years. It's time ya know why I nearly lost my life a couple times for diplomatic missions around playin' games."

"Dad," David said. "we know about the game."

"We can fix everything though!" Saavik said. "we all ready started."

"What?" Leonard said, as Spock stepped forward. "what the. . ."

"Hello, Leonard . . ." Spock said. Leonard's jaw dropped and his eyes widened at the very well tattooed man whose hands were behind his back. The face was familiar. Leonard's body was riddled with shock. Words came to mind. Nothing to described what he felt. The Vulcan came closer to the bed. The Vulcan observed the human standing in front of the bed. Disbelief was on the older man's face. "I see one of us lived a childhood."

"S-Sp-Sp-Sp-Spock?" Leonard said, staring at the Vulcan, highly emotional.

"Your resemblance with Andrew is striking," Spock acknowledged.

"Ya. . . ya . . . ya should be dead," Leonard said.

"You should be off world," Spock said. "Afraid of board games? Is that what you have become?"

"Terrified that, I too, would be next?" Leonard asked. "That a game would abruptly suck me in?"

"You should have rolled the dice," Spock said.

"I was chased by bats, Spock, out of your house," Leonard said. "in the dead of _night_."

"We could have done it at a more appropriate time of day," Spock said. "and location."

"Yes," Leonard said. "not at all terrifying for a ten year old. I should have ignored the drums."

"Why was there evacuations?" Spock changed the subject.

"Did y'all tell him?" Leonard asked.

"We don't know why," David said.

"There is a doomsday machine headed this way, be here in a couple hours," Leonard said. "don't know how it will spell the end of Vulcan. Somehow it will either way," he leaned to the other side of the biobed feeling the heaviness in his chest nearly falling to the floor. Spock came over to the doctor's side like a speeding bullet placing one hand on the man's back. The doctor briefly closed his eyes then reopened them. Like a heavy weight had been surgically put into his chest and then put back together again. "we have limited time to finish the stupid game."


	18. Chapter 18

Becoming adjusted to a cardiac heart in his chest was not the most cheerful things in his life. His body was becoming adjusted to his lungs pressing against his heart. Spock hadn't asked who had stabbed him. Leonard's past had quickly caught up with him on a day that defined how the rest of his limited existence would be spent. Time was off the essence. The game was placed on the table, opened, waiting to be played. He was thankful that Spock had not asked who had stabbed him. It was unheard of that a random person would come up to a doctor and attempt to kill them. Leonard was handed the dice by David.

"Roll the dice, Leonard," Spock said.

"Love to," Leonard said, holding his closed fist above the board.

"Has he always been this way?" Spock inquired.

"Yes," David said. "not much to play with."

"He doesn't trust us with playing board games since I tricked him," Saavik said.

"Ya don't get over guilt and fear over a lifetime," Leonard said.

"Ah, I see," Spock said, nodding his head. Spock held his hand out. "I shall roll the dice."

"Really?" Leonard asked, startled.

"Yes," Spock lied, nodding his head.

"All right," Leonard said.

Leonard dropped the dice. Spock yanked his hand back. Then everything went in slow motion for the doctor. The dice falling in mid-air twisting and turning. The dice landed to the board with a clack. The dice landed on a seven. Alarms went off in the man's mind. The hair all over his body raised expecting for the worse to happen. Leonard's token slid forward seven steps following a new surge of life. Leonard was paralyzed with fear unable to lean forward to see what the center of the game had now added while the others had.

Leonard closed his eyes. The doctor focused on the good memories that he had with Kirk after waking up from a nightmare. All the while letting the others voices go into the background as a distant, hazy background noise. Leonard was back in the warm, occupied bed on the USS Enterprise. Kirk rubbed Leonard's shoulders, softly, muttering, " _You're safe, baby, I'm here. Nothing is going to happen to you, sshhh, I'm here._ " There was no danger aboard the Enterprise. It was highly protected and secured by the best security systems on the Enterprise. The safe, and comfort mental palace calmed him down. He buried his head beneath the younger man's chin right into the baby smooth chest. The doctor wanted to tell the kid how much he missed him. Leonard relaxed, internally, and physically. The doctor reopened his eyes with a long sigh.

Leonard was still there.

"Enough arguing, children," Spock said.

"They grow much faster than bamboo, take care or they'll come after you," David said. "it's got to be hair."

"Hair does not come right after you," Saavik said.

"Yeah, but you never know if there is an alien species where they do come to life," David said.

"That's the Na'vi," Saavik replied. Spock rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Plants," Leonard said, earning head turns toward him. "plants."

Spock closed the game.

"Children, stand up," Spock instructed, placing it to his side. The sounds of the house becoming unusually unsettled rocketed through the room with creaks and groans beneath them. Vines started to surface from beneath the corners of the walls around the room. "stay away from the vines," Saavik stood Spock's side as did David. Leonard joined the group watching the vines grow jointed vines gaining leaves. "be careful of the bright flowers," Spock looked around cautiously seeing the vines spreading about the room shoving down the holophotographs on the wall making them fall to the floor with a loud clatter. "They can kill you."

"Poisonous?" David asked.

"Some of them," Spock said. "the big ones are to be feared."

"Oh ya got to be shittin' us," Leonard said. "carnivores! I retired from Star Fleet for this?"

Spock looked over raising his left eyebrow.

"What happened to you?" Spock asked. "You used to be eager to be a soccer player."

"I went in to be a counselor," Leonard said. "came out as a federation certified doctor instead."

"You, a soccer player?" Saavik asked.

"Really?" David asked.

"How is it so hard to believe that I wanted to be a soccer player?" Leonard asked. The siblings shared a glance together then faced the doctor.

"You do not strike us as the type," Saavik said.

One second David was there, the next second David vanished out of Leonard's line of sight under the rug. David's screams came from the rug as he was tugged under it. Spock leaped over the counter, the couch, the second counter, coming to a landing on the hard surface material grabbing hold onto David's hands clutching onto them tightly. Leonard gripped hard on the young man. The two men and one female child tugged the child back as the walls broke apart to reveal a large hole that suddenly had out a killer planet with petals that had teeth. Leonard looked at it muttering, "Dear god." with horrified eyes.

"GET IT OFF ME, PLEASE!" David shouted.

"That's not a bad way to go," Spock remarked.

"Spock!" Leonard said, in disgust.

"Compared to being targeted by worse plants," Spock said, calmly. "it is less severe."

Saavik looked at it in fascination blinking at it without fear slightly tilting her head. They tugged the child back only to be mercilessly dragged forward. Spock looked over to see at the corner of the room was the family heirloom. The lirpa entangled by a growing plant. One that had to be used only for emergencies. The plant closed its petals around the long vine. Spock looked over toward the doctor. They had a brief moment of eye contact yet it was enough for Leonard to nod back at the younger Vulcan. Spock let go of the man's hands then breezed his way toward the potted plant. David screamed, louder, terrified.

"Forgive me, forefathers, _"_ Spock apologized, quickly.

He yanked the large staff structure out of the pot tipping it over in the process.

"Hold on!" Spock shouted.

Spock came in between the plant and the three then shot down the lirpa's sharp blade splitting the vine off from the plant. The plant opened it's mouth screaming in pain then closed it once the remaining bit of vine had slunk back in. The plant flew away back into the fearsome hole that it had created. Spock unraveled the vine from around David's leg. The group exited the room. So it was Spock who bound the doors that had old fashioned knobs added as a option. Sure enough, the ambassador's son looked up to see a vine tapping on the window. Spock walked away going after the small family. They went into the backyard porch.

"When did you marry James?" Spock asked.

"That was a lon' time ago," Leonard said, turned away from the children.

"What did you tell him happened to me?" Spock asked. "Did you tell him the truth? Did you lie to him like you kept pertinent information?"

"He never asked!" Leonard said. "He thought I left before your 'DEATH'. Besides, we were busy savin' Vulcan from nearly bein' destroyed, apprehandin' a maniac Romulan, and oh, saving the universe. He moved on. He obviously thought I did."

"I find that hard to believe with what the children said about you and games," Spock said.

"I had some counselin'," Leonard said.

"Counseling is more of dealing with the problem and solving it," Spock said. "that was simply a talk about your feelings. A band aid. How could you not tell, the man you married, that you were at fault to my disappearance? The best way to deal with guilt is to share it with your partner."

Leonard had a sharp intake of breath now standing toe to toe with the Vulcan.

"Look," Leonard said. "Spock . . . I have been called nuts by seven psychiatrists in a very light choice of wording, had a brain scan not once but more times than a child should, and had my head poked around in by telepathics durin' a five year mission in space. Some of them made me go to a dark corner that I really didn't think I would come out of easily and talk about Jumanji!" he gestured toward the Vulcan with his index finger. "I really wasn't in the position to tell him. I was goin' to tell him when we retired. That way, we wouldn't raise alarms or threaten four hundred thirty three men and women. Not cause an interplanetary incident. Destroy the ship. I didn't want to do it without him, ya see? I kept back enough thin's from him then!"

"Like you kept from my father?" Spock asked.

"Yes!" Leonard said. "I planned to do it when the kids were in school. Day off to ourselves. And finish the game."

"There is one problem to your ideal," Spock said. "I would have been dead by the time."

"No, ya wouldn't," Leonard said.

"I would have," Spock said.

"NO, YA WOULDN'T!" Leonard shouted. "the only thin' that kept me in space was my mother," Spock tilted his head. "xenopolycythemia killed her."

"That is no way to die," Spock said.

"She went to a colony that had it for the sake of research for a novel like always!" Leonard resumed, shaking his index finger poking it into the Vulcan's chest. "Ya still would be alive by then!" he yanked his his hand back. "And ya are stallin'. Ya afraid to be sucked in, well think again!" his hands rolled into fists. "SO AM I!" the doctor began to turn away turning in the direction of the children. "It's your turn to roll the dice."

Leonard came over to the table with the children who were sitting on the chair. Spock silently stalked his way after the other seat beside the counter. He picked up the dice then shook them in his hands. He tossed them on to the board landing with a clatter. One of the dice had a two and the other-Spock didn't pay much attention neither did everyone. The green text floated onto the circular dark screen. Leonard relaxed, visibly, upon not seeing the words that had been haunting him for thirty years.

"A hunter from the darkest wild makes you feel just like . . ." Saavik read.

"A child," Spock finished, looking up with visible horror and fear on his face.

"What is it, Mr Spock?" David asked, right before a gun shot echoed through the porch.

"It is Van Pelt," Spock said.

"Who?" Saavik asked.

"A hunter," Spock replied, standing up. "I will be right back."

The doors to the porch flew open as the Vulcan fled from the scene. Another shot was fired through the porch striking down a sculpture to the floor. The doors flew open to the porch then in came a Romulan like man in 22nd century hunting camouflage outfit. He had a 'v' shaped forehead with slanted thin eyebrows, and very pointy ears. The man had a familiar face, the same wavy hair, only darker and had a mustache. Leonard stared in shock as the man fired in Spock's direction with a long range phaser rifle, but only a earlier version. One that had some resemblance to the phaser pistol.

"Be a man and face me!" Van demanded, walking after the man.

Leonard appeared to bewildered seeing the man go on past him.

"Why the hell is Sarek dressed up as a hunter with Romulan features?" Leonard said.

Van came out of the house to find a dust trail speeding off away from him. He got onto the nearby kiddie bike swinging the strap to his gun over his shoulder. He speeded away from the house down the hill quickly sending a stream of sand flying behind him. The kiddie bike had foot rests, and was going on a moderated, restrictive speed limit going slower than the Vulcan motorcycle outside. Spock zipped into ShiKahr dodging the wandering Vulcans in the almost crowded street. Van shot at the speeding Vulcan instead vaporizing a part of a support beam with a metal ceiling above a fruit shop. It fell upon the customers and the merchants. A cloud of dust flew above the ground. Spock took a sharp turn sending a flurry of sand up from the ground. Van took a turn right into the scenery where Spock had vanished only to find a flurry of motorcycles. Van crashed into the motorcycles becoming entangled within the metal and various joints in unnatural directions. Van grunted, getting up, then saw the Vulcan's figure dashing along the corner from his line of sight. Van struggled to get up firing the remaining power chipping away large chunks off the nearby buildings.

He ran out of juice.

And lost the player who rolled him out of the game.


	19. Chapter 19

"I wonder if the game customizes the inhabitants to the players fears," Leonard said, peering through the blinds. "how in the world Spock is afraid of Sarek is beyond me."

His brown eyes scanning through the window darting from side to side. Scarcely were there any light coming into the pathway of the house. It was perplexing to see such a familiar face on a intimidating, frightening figure. The children shared a glance together. Saavik with raised eyebrows and David with the furrowed eyebrows. Leonard was leaned to the right keeping half of his back to the wall, cautiously.

". . . So which one of us is afraid of a electronic lion?" David asked, earning a head turn from the doctor.

"I am not afraid of lions," Saavik said.

"Niether am I," David said. "and one of us is lying."

"Ya got a lion up stairs?" Leonard asked.

"Yes," the two said.

"Where?" Leonard asked.

"In your bedroom," Saavik replied.

"In my bedroom . . ." Leonard said. "IN MY BEDROOM?"

The human made a mad dash from the children rushing up the stairs leaving them behind. His boots striking the floorboards of the steps echoing down behind him. Leonard came to a stop near his bedroom placing his hands on the console panel. The light beneath his fingers emitted. The doctor slowly made his way into the room to see the resting lion on the bed fast asleep. His cardiac heart racing. He felt around for a metal bar behind him pressed against the drawer. This was for emergencies in case a wild sehlat arrived into the house unsuspectingly. It was always good to be prepared. Sehlats were animals that wandered in when there was a open door and invited themselves in. It was a acceptable danger to a planet Leonard had to make amends with. He slid out the drawer, jolting it out loudly. The lion raised his head up from his paws, yawning, then opened his eyes to see the doctor waving a large slab of meat. Leonard slid himself toward the window, slowly, without making an alarm. He put the slab of meat behind his back then pressed a panel along the edge where the window started.

"Come here, kitty," Leonard said. "ya want to eat?"

The lion crept off the bed.

"Mwuar," the lion replied, in a low grumble.

Leonard discarded the slab of meat into the drawer glaring intently at the lion.

"Get out of my house then," Leonard tossed the drawer out then lunged toward the floor. The lion flew through the window soaring in the air then flipped on his way down to the floor. Leonard looked over through the open window to see the lion feasting. "Good boy!"

The lion had a little grumble looking up toward the doctor then lowered his head and resumed eating the meat. Leonard turned away with a sigh pressing a few buttons on the panel. The window smoothly closing behind him. Leonard came out of the bedroom to see Saavik and David by the rail.

"Anythin' else that ya let out?" Leonard asked.

"Mosquitoes," David said.

"And here I thought those mosquitoes were my imagination workin' into over-drive from bein' under anesthesia," Leonard said, walking past the two.


	20. Chapter 20

Spock entered the house making his way back into the porch. The house was silent, terrifying enough, different from the house full of family bonds going here and there. Children and teenagers studying down stairs. Spock visualized his adoptive siblings in parts of the room that he knew best. At least when he knew them best. It did not feel natural for the house of Sarek to be this empty. Yes, of course, silence was natural in the home. He strolled his way into the porch where he saw couches on both sides around the counter. He looked toward the board that seemed to be silently taunting him.

"How was the ride back?" Leonard asked, once the Vulcan sat down.

"Asides to the large mosquitoes attacking me; it was a normal day," Spock said.

Leonard turned his head toward the game then took a double take at Spock. "Ya more screwed up than I am!"

Spock raised an eyebrow back at the doctor.

"Have you ever been in a jungle?" Spock asked. "Been in it for more than a few days?"

"Yes," Leonard paused at first after replying. "Oh. . So. . . that's. . . what the game took ya."

"And compared to me, you're not a screw up," Spock said, then turned his attention toward the children. "Saavik. Roll the dice."

Saavik nodded then rolled the dice.

"Don't be fooled, it isn't thunder," David began to read as the text appeared on the center. Spock looked up toward the blinds and so did Saavik. "Staying put would be a blunder."

"A stampede," Saavik and Spock said, at once.

"Get the game!" Spock ordered.

"I'm out of here!" David said.

The dice trembled on the board. Several accessories for the house fell down crash landing to the floor breaking apart shattering into a million pieces. Leonard closed the game as the furniture in the porch trembled. Spock and Saavik dashed from the porch first with David trailing behind. Leonard nearly stumbled dropping the game once his boot struck the edge of a chair. His toe stung at first in pain. The doctor dropped the case holding his leg up, wincing, yelping actually, repeatedly muttering "Ow, ow, ow, ow,ow,ow," Saavik came to a stop mid-way through the hall then returned into the porch. She picked up the closed game then guided him forwards by placing a hand on his back.

"Dad, put your foot down and ignore the pain," Saavik said.

"I am runnin' with my _real_ leg, sweetie," Leonard said. "I should have lost both of my legs in the crash."

"Ignore the pain!" Saavik tugged him down the hall.

Leonard tucked the game under his left arm lead by Saavik's tight grip on his hand. The blinds were torn through with the glass breaking into a million pieces. The two fled down the hall as the sounds of cheetahs, antelope, giraffes that had bend down their necks, a herd of elephants, zebra's, and other noisy animals carried through the house. Leonard dropped the game shoving in Saavik into the room. Some of the supporting beams to the house were torn making it tremble from side to side, briefly. Leonard landed to the floor across from the game that was left discarded in the threshold between the hallway to the room. Pelicans flew by following the herd. A lone rhino smaller than the rest, however, grunted making its way after the herd. A lone pelican hopped over toward the game. Leonard reached forward toward the game only for it snap its beak at him. The doctor screamed at the bird. The pelican flapped their wings then picked up the game and flew off. Leonard's eyes widened then he ran off after the bird.

"GET YOUR FEATHERED BUTT BACK HERE, YA LITTLE SHIT!" Leonard shouted.

The pelican through the hole that had been created by the stampede.

Somehow, the stampede leaped over the side deck landing to the ground without causalities.

"When did you lose a leg?" Spock asked, suddenly appearing by the man's side.

"I lost it the same day I did when I lost Jim," Leonard said. "half of me didn't come out of there," the doctor rolled his sleeve up to demonstrate the plastic skin material on his left arm and his fingers appearing to be more robotic than human. "I lost my better half in there."

"I can fix this," Spock said, placing his hand on the doctor's plastic shoulder.

The Vulcan could not hear the doctor's inner thoughts Spock finally noticed that Leonard was a amputee. The Vulcan lowered his mental shields then sent reassurance through the T'hy'la link-the silver, almost golden strand sprung to life taking on the format of a bond stretching itself and growing exponentially. The roots came into place. The bond hung between their minds. Spock felt the presence the most, telepathically, forming to life. Leonard looked over toward the Vulcan abruptly confused, _What did Spock just do?_ Spock raised his mental shields back up taking his hand off the human's shoulder who was looking toward him then went after the pelican. The pelican was close by. David came over to the man's side. Leonard rolled down his sleeve then went after the Vulcan.

"Now come on," Leonard said. "Ya not a ca-" Spock safely landed to the ground then ran after the pelican. "Show off," The drop off wasn't that far from the ground but it was for a human and would break a bone. The drop off was formed by the stampeding animals apparently immune to real life results. He went out the front door with the children behind him. "What is the lesson of today, kids?"

"Don't jump off a deck at home," David said.

"No, asides to that," Leonard said.

"Don't play Jumanji without you?" Saavik asked.

"Good, good," Leonard said, with a pleased nod. "Now ya learnin'," he turned his attention toward Spock's figure. "SPOCK!" Leonard ran after the Vulcan. "SLOW DOWN, YA DO REALIZE WE CAN TAKE THE DESERT FLYER!" the doctor raised his voice with the children tailing behind him. "SPOOOOOOOOCK!"

From behind, on the deck, a vine grew out from the rubble and began to spread forward sprouting new leaves.


	21. Chapter 21

Wun and his assignment Zhit were packing up the weapons store. Customers had dwindled down to a barely non-existent level. The shadow of a Vulcan individual striding toward the door was ignored. As was the sound of the door opening. Zhit was packing away the various phaser weapons putting them into packaging. Very single Vulcans were common to find on Vulcan. Most of them went on their day pretending nothing was wrong while the stores were closing. Zhit looked up toward the unusual Vulcan raising a thick, dark eyebrow in confusion. The dress-wear was entirely odd on itself. Van dropped the phase pistol rifle to the table with a light thud.

"I am in need of a replacement," Van said.

"Apologies," Wun said, in standard looking at Van while tilting his head. "we are closing."

"Then you must cease closing," Van said, dropping a collection of small padds to the table. "There is a hidden shuttle craft that will allow for your escapade and continued survival," Zhit and Wun looked toward the padds. "on the padds is a map that acts as a GPS for you."

"Zhit," Wun said. "please take out the new phaser rifle," Wun looked toward the unusual Vulcanian similar individual. Zhit went into the back with the door closing behind her. "We haven't had a customer come in for this type of weaponary since sehlat hunting season."

"They hunt sehlat's now?" Van asked.

"They have been getting out of control," Wun said. "old parts of ShiKahr have been overrun with them."

"Peculiar and peculiar," Van said, as Zhit placed a phaser rifle to the table.

"Best of the best," Wun said, as Van picked up the dark and sleek phaser rifle. "Came off the line last week. If anyone asks where you got this from . . ."

"I did not get it from here," Van said, observing the phaser rifle in his hands.

"Say. . ." Wun said. "Are you a bounty hunter?"

Van lowered his gaze toward Wun.

"I am a hunter," Van said. "I kill."

"Aaah," Wun said. "It must be personal then."

"Does this need ammo?" Van asked.

"No," Wun replied. "it is powered by solar energy."

"Jolan tru," Van said, bowing his head.

"Live long and prosper," Wun replied, giving the Vulcan salute.

Van turned away with his new phaser rifle in hand then made his way out.

* * *

"Spock!" Leonard shouted. "SPOOOCK!"

"Mister Spock!" David called.

"Mr Spock!" Saavik continued calling, cupping around her mouth.

"Spoc-" Leonard came to a stop near the edge to look down. "oh my god is he sane?"

"He is not afraid, certainly," Saavik said.

The pelican had dropped the game to the boulder with one padded foot on the game. Spock looked down to see a Vulcanian cat fish swimming along. A school of them. He reached forward then grabbed hold onto one of them then held it out. The pelican followed the fish being moved from side to side. Spock tossed the fish. The pelican caught the fish into its beak then slid the game off the boulder. Spock reached out missing it by just a inch. The game drifted into the water being carried by a fast current. David ran alongside the edge with his eyes on the prize calling back, "I'll get it!"

"David!" Leonard called. "No!

David leaped off the edge with his hands out reached for the game.

"DAVID!" Leonard shouted, horrified, as his fingers missed the child.

And it was just like watching Jim die again, except this felt it was in slow motion.

It slowly happened before Leonard's eyes. Crash landing to the dirt landing on his side landing against his metal arm. The boy had flown out of his hands. The roar of the river was silent in the doctor's mind. His cardiac heart beating was ignored. He felt a heart string be pulled, a sharp pain, in his heart where there should be. It felt like a eternity was passing. And then time became fast once more. David's hands grabbed onto the wooden object latching onto it tightly as he submerged into the water. He kept his mouth closed as water rushed in through his nostrils. David kicked his legs propping him up above the surface, expelling the water from his nose. David heard his name being shouted. Panicked, frightened shouting that was familiar. The currents were rushing him forward.

David was struck by the waves time after time making him feel immobile. He opened his eyes feeling the sting of the water. He opened them again to see a long green hand extended. David reached his hand out clenching the game close to his chest. He kicked his legs keeping himself from going completely under. His blonde hair a matty mess stuck to his skin. The waves tearing him away from the offer. He tried to move himself closer and closer to the mainland. David garbled words from over the fierce, powerful waves. He held his hand up above the water long enough to see the figures up ahead with a bridge like structure over the river made completely of rock. The river sent him flying above the deeper contents below. The long, desired helpful hand outreached. David finally grabbed hold onto the larger, long warm hand. David was tugged forward toward the edge. Another hand gripped onto his shoulder guiding him forward. He felt hands placed onto his waist then be lunged out guiding him down to the path side close to the river.

"David," Leonard started, his hands on the boy's shoulders knelt down toward him. Spock stood beside the doctor. "Don't ya ever do that to me again."

"Sure, dad," David shivered back, returning a bright smile while holding the game in both his arms tightly against his chest. The child held the game forward toward the two men. "At least I got the game."

"I don't care about the game," Leonard said, taking the game then handed it over toward Spock. "I care about my family, son," Leonard brought the boy into a warm hug, unexpectedly, while stroking the back of the child's wet head. "ya always goin' to be my little boy and a game won't change that," the doctor closed his eyes. "even my daughters."


	22. Chapter 22

Van made his way into the house. He sniffed the air. The player had been here. He went out of the building following down the path. The scent was fresh. The players footsteps were consistent and trackable. Easier to find. It had been thirty years since he came across the young child relatively new to the environment. Standing emotionless, staring at him, unnerving the hunter. Terrified him, gave him nightmares, made the amazon feel more uncomfortable and terrifying. Enough of that, the hunter was going to make the player pay. For approaching him for all these years ago instead running away from him. That was not a man but a child before his eyes. The child had become intelligent and skilled in losing the hunter. He had dark hair back then. Van didn't like to mention how many times he came to the child's aid when it came to the wildlife harming him. The child ran away at any time they had a confrontation. He was appalling. And he needed to be out down before he made anyone else age faster in their prime worrying about a child in the wilderness.

Van was a highly respected hunter within Jumanji.

His admirable ability to smell out his game.

Not only use his skills to track their path.

He was the best of the best.

Van made his way along the path that they had taken. Their foot prints left behind. He noticed house was beginning to become surrounded by a series of trees that he had not seen before. The player had already unleashed home upon this planet. The vines were moving beneath his feet as he slowly slid his way down the path with some difficulty. Not that he would complain. He followed the scent upon the heated desert like scenery. The sand crunching below his boots detecting the scent changing direction. It had returned toward ShiKahr.


	23. Chapter 23

Tyrone was making his way to the space craft that he had left behind a rock formation resembling a ramp. His day was successful. More than he had been in the past thirty years. He came to a abrupt stop when he saw Leonard by the side of a Vulcan who held what appeared to be a box close to his person. Rage engulfed him. This man ruined his life. He didn't deserve to life a life that Tyrone should have. Tyrone took out a spare phaser then fired in the direction of the group narrowly hitting them instead striking the nearby rock. Leonard and the children were escorted to a small cave.

"It is not logical to hurt one without a reason," Spock said, scooting the game close to the human.

Leonard poked out of the hole to see the familiar alien man.

". . . Shit," Leonard said, then he ducked back in. Leonard's leg scooted the game toward Saavik. "It seems we both got our enemies in order."

"What do you mean, doctor?" Spock asked. Saavik slid the game towards David.

"Tyrone," Leonard said. "Richard Tyrone."

"My designated babysitter," Spock said.

"Yes," Leonard replied. He sucked in a breath then exhaled. "He tried to kill me."

Spock found a long stick then took out several rocks and knocked them against the edge until they were sharpened.

"What are you doing?" Saavik asked.

"In order to get him to stand down then I must fire at him," Spock broke the long stick into four spears. "All to his shoulder. It is necessary to subdue him and immobilize him from attempting to harm the doctor any further."

"Sweetie," Leonard said. "murder is illegal."

Spock looked over toward the human raising a thin, well trimmed eyebrow back.

"My idea is different from that," Spock said, wrapping the long, thin grass around the stick and the sharpened blade. "Return to the house with the children."

Spock came to the mouth of the cave. Leonard's left hand grasped the side of Spock's shoulder earning the man's full attention toward him as shots of phaser fire struck the wall alongside the cave opening. David counted the eleven blocks left to the center of the game. Spock lowered the mental barriers to feel the man's concern. _I don't want to lose ya again, Spock_ , the grip grew tight, _not because of me. Not again_. The words of sentiment were touching. Knowing that someone cared about him. That despite all his loss there was still someone who cared about him. Leonard's eyes were determined.

"No, ya return to the house with the children," Leonard said.

"Leonard, have you ever thrown a spear?" Spock inquired.

"For self defense," Leonard said.

"And your aim?" Spock prodded.

"'It's good enough," Leonard said.

"Not good enough when you could be shot down by the man who tried to kill you," Spock said. "You will hesitate. Fear will freeze you," he held his hand up stopping the protests coming from the doctor. "I have used spears longer than you have in the past thirty years. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one."

Spock slid his way out of the cave.

"Dad!" came David.

Saavik and Leonard came over to the child's side. David's token was moved to the beginning of the game on the first part of the game. Leonard's eyes glanced off toward the game looking up in the direction of the boy. His eyebrows were furrowed. Saavik wore the same expression as the doctor except with a raised eyebrow.

"What did ya do?" Leonard asked.

"I tried to finish the game," David said. "I needed ten so I rolled one and attempted to have the other dice hit a number that'll get me to the finish line."

"Ya cheated," Leonard said.

"No, I didn't," David said.

"Did ya roll a double?" Leonard asked.

"No," David said.

"Then ya cheated," Leonard said. Then he looked over toward the centerpiece."A law of Jumanji having been broken, you will slip back even more than your token," he leaned back putting the dice back into the small compartment. "huh, must not be that bad."

"It must be bad," Saavik said. "as sliding back, physiologically, would require going down the evolution chain."

"Ya would start turnin' into a cat," Leonard said.

"Yes," Saavik said. "a highly intelligent feline."

"Y-" Leonard stopped looking down at the boy's hand and his eyes widened.

Leonard had a loud audible gasp. His cardiac heart almost leaped at the change in the boy's hand. Leonard covered his mouth to stop himself from screaming. And yet, to also calm himself. Soothing, calming feelings floored him making his heart rate return to normal. A part of him was terrified that it was the game attempting to suck David inside. Only fur was growing on the boy's hand.

"What is it?" David asked.

Saavik tilted her head looking down toward David's hands.

"David, look at your hands!" Leonard said, once uncovering his hand.

David snatched his hand back.

"No, no, no," David said. "I hate monkeys."

"Don't we all," Leonard said. "come on, kids," he looked out to see the coast was clear then ducked back in toward the children who were resting behind him huddled together. "we gotta get home. First one there is a rotten sehlat!"

Leonard was the first one out.

"I am not a rotten sehlat!" David fled out.

"Humans." Saavik said, with a shake of her head. She followed the two out of the cave.


	24. Chapter 24

It was general knowledge that humans are excellent hunters. A hybrid between Vulcans and humans, hunting, however was a dangerous force to be reckoned with. Spock slowly stalked after the limping man. Vulcans had long ago evolved to cool their bodies rather than expelling sweat. Sweat was a illogical body function on a desert planet. Spock looked over the edge to see the man with shades of blue scaled about his skin looking over his shoulder while clenching at his wound. Spock wrapped a thick string of grass around a piece of rock that had a 'v' shaped hole.

The sharpened rock was slung in the direction of Tyrone.

Tyrone crashed to the dirt with a thud feeling a sharp pain in his back.

"Ah!" Tyrone cried.

Spock slowly caught up with Tyrone as the paralyzed man dragged his body forward.

* * *

"Do you think the game will save Vulcan?" David asked, as they were walking down the street.

"Nah, don't get ya hopes up," Leonard said. "that would be a miracle."

"Like the Enterprise would be capable," Saavik said.

"The Enterprise _was_ the only ship out there who could do such a thin'," Leonard said, grimly.

"Uncle Scott is dead?" David said, coming to a stop.

"And aunt Uhura?" Saavik asked, alongside David.

Leonard stopped in his path then briefly closing his eyes, painfully. It came right off his tongue. He knew the world would not be ending if the crew had anything to say about that. And no announcement being sent to Vulcan in the past few hours made it clear that they failed. He turned toward the children with the game to his side. He looked down apologetically toward the children placing the game in front of his feet. He placed his hands on the children's shoulders knelt down toward their eye level. It hurt more to acknowledge the fact that his crewmates were dead. Never coming back. Never going to rescue him or his family.

"They are dead, kids," Leonard said.

"We are never going to see them again," David said, lowering his head sadly.

"Ya will," Leonard said. "just not in this life," he raised the boy's chin up toward him. "at least they are not here to see everythin' that they fought for goin' down the drain," the doctor had a sad expression on his face. "and I'll be damned if we didn't finish this game before joinin' them. Let's do it for them."

David nodded in agreement wiping off a tear. Suddenly the game was taken out of the doctor's line of sight. They turned in the direction of Van to see that he held it to his side appearing to be proud, condescendingly. And the proud expression on the Romulan's face was awfully familiar, meaning, those who thought they had captured or defeated the crew of the Enterprise. There was something that disturbed him a bit like the people who he had encountered in space.

"Give that back!" David said, as Leonard used his hand to block the child from going forward.

"In your dreams, child," Van said, stepping back from the small group. "I have the upper hand."

"Kwai fi' wuh thal!" Came a woman's shout. "Sahr-tor!"

Van took a step back further from the group turning his head in the direction that the Vulcanian shouts were coming from. David sped off after the game going through the crowd like a lioness zipping though the pasture after a prey at top speed. It took only a turn for Van to notice that the game was no longer in his grip. The smell of the boy was distinctive enough that it lingered. He smelled the boy had fled away in the direction of the fleeing crowd. Van heard Leonard shout "David!" while catching up after him. Van made his way after the child with the improved phaser rifle slung over his shoulder thanks to the long, comfortable shoulder strap standing out from his gear. The ground trembled beneath his boots. The hunter turned toward the left to see a dust cloud approaching them.

The sound of loud, obnoxious squeaking not far behind among the thunder of hooves approaching the street. David nearly glided by the resting desert flyer then made his way into it. The stampede crossed through the street. A large elephant trampled over the desert flyer. Leonard blocked Saavik from going in toward the stampede watching the desert flyer become smaller and smaller while the open door cracked and creaked where screaming was coming from the inside of the drastically shrinking ship. The stampede began to thin but Van blindly went inside the cloud of dirt kicked up in the air. He lowered himself down to the child's level then yanked out the game from the boy's hand then walked away from the scene.

A lone rhino was the last member of the stampede to finally cross the path.

"David!" Leonard called, coming after the crushed desert flyer. "David, stop risking your life for the game! It's gettin' old!" he knelt down by the bent, easily big enough exit. He had one hand on the roof. He looked in to see silence and darkness. Saavik joined by the man's side. "David, are ya all right?"

"Help me." came David's voice from the darkness.

"Yep," Leonard said, light heartedly. "He is his father's son," he looked over toward Saavik. "Okay, Saavik, you'll get the left hand and I'll get the other hand to pull."

* * *

"Who are you?" Tyrone asked, as the Vulcan turned him over once taking the dagger out.

Spock looked down upon the man.

The Vulcan's face portraying no emotion, his anger heated behind those cool emotionally controlled eyes, and the permanent tattoos decorating the side of his face coupled by the shadows covering the side of his face made him appear to be intimidating. Spock's hands were locked behind his back, a position that he was most comfortable in, staring down who he had once trusted in. A part of Spock wanted to give him the satisfaction at knowing who was about to perform the final mind meld. The Vulcan stared down at the ugly themed humanoid. Spock knelt down toward the man. In his years inside the forest, his mind meld skills had improved. He had shared various mind melds with the inhabitants of the scenery forming several close relationships. All of which gone like his family except for what was left of Leonard's new family. He stared down at the alien like man considering whether or not to finish him off.

"You were sent to a penal colony thirty years ago," Spock said.

"Yes," Tyrone said.

"You could have stayed home," Spock said.

"I have no home to return to," Tyrone said. "that was taken from me."

"Unfortunately, I do," Spock said. "I am S'chn T'gai Spock, son of Sarek, son of Skon, son of Solkar."

"That kid is dead," Tyrone said.

"I assure you," Spock replied. "thirty years and this is what you turned into? You are disgraceful." Spock turned away then made his path strayed from the man. "you are not worth my time."

"SPOCK!" Tyrone shouted. "SPOOOOOOCK! FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED! SPPOOOOCK!"

As Spock lowered his mental shields, there was a wave of concern and panic that was alarming him. He sensed it was coming somewhere from within ShiKahr. Spock kicked up his pace racing through the rocky, desert scenery. Tyrone flipped himself over seeing a crack up ahead. If the Vulcan wouldn't finish what he had started then Tyrone would. Two sharp, painful spikes landed into his knees. Tyone was unable to move left stuck in the scenery. Indirectly, the Vulcan was saying that Tyrone wasn't worth anyone's time. And whatever was going to happen to Vulcan, he would be there for the ride. He hated the S'chn T'gai clan.


	25. Chapter 25

Leonard and the children high tailed after the hunter. Leonard was panicked, concerned, and conflicted at once. The way things were going. It seemed that he was going to losing them during the next half of the game. He came to a stop once he had seen the building that the hunter had gone into by way of blocking the children with his hands. It was dangerous to go after someone with a phaser rifle followed by children. A part of him was conflicted about going inside with the children at all.

"Ya stay," Leonard said, turned toward the two.

"Dad-" David was cut off.

"I am not about to lose y'all," Leonard said.

"You won't," Saavik said.

"Really, with you being around, there is no chance," David said.

"I nearly lost David, not once, but twice today," Leonard said. "even when I am around, ya still get threatened."

"All right, we will wait for you outside," Saavik said.

"Not like we're going to get snatched by a passing Vulcan," David complained.

"I doubt anyone would attempt to abduct us," Saavik said.

"I'll be right back," Leonard said. Then he went though the open doorway leaving the children behind.

Saavik and David exchanged a glance.

"It's always good to have back up," Saavik said.

"I agree," David said.

The children entered into the store. The inside of the market was white and blue with pointy ears and green skin seen littering the scene. The shelves had protective blue glass that halfway covered the goods inside the white shelves. The floor was a gentle shade of gray. Van saw most of the goods were being emptied by the Vulcans in silence into carts. The sounds of wheels clicking against the floor. David saw Leonard poking around searching for the hunter. David came over toward a screen then typed in 'hunter'. Saavik slid him to the side then typed in, instead, shi'ka'ree. The screen showed Van making his way through the sections holding onto the game heading in the direction of the check out. Leonard swept past the Vulcans, politely, going after the hunter.

Leonard came to a stop then looked over from the side of the shelf. Van stood beside a counter turned away from it. It looked like luck was on Leonard's side for the first time today. The children were safe, out of Van's way, out of harms way, and out of the way of being trampled upon by any other Vulcans. Jumanji was laid beside the hunter. Almost silently beckoning the doctor after it. Despite there not being the sound of drums being actively heard, he could hear it from the memories. Except this time, the sound didn't intrigue him. It didn't terrify him. Leonard chose to ignore it then reached forward grabbing onto the game.

"I got you!" Van reached forward, grabbing hold onto the wrist.

"Let go of my wrist!" Leonard said.

"No," Van said. "Now, Spock will surely have to face me. You are the perfect bait."

"Wrong, it's you!" came David's voice.

Van heard a deep, alarming growl. He looked over in the nick of time to see a series of claws striking down the side of his face. Van was knocked down to the floor by a large mass which made him let go of Leonard's hand. Leonard landed to the floor holding onto the game for dear life. The doctor scrambled up taking David by the arm yanking him off the Romulan Hunter. They fled out of sight leaving Van with long, thin bleeding scars from the side of his face. Van covered the side of his face getting up with more determination. He was going to kill the child. That much was clear.

Van fired after the fleeing family. Seven heads to mannequins fell wearing dress like attire that was light colored and some of it was dark colored. The light colored had very, definitive designs that were appealing. The attire were a lot like dresses on the figures. The heads rolled landing against the edge of the wall. Saavik shoved carts into the way of Van momentarily blocking him. Saavik sped off after the two. Van changed the setting of the phaser rifle then shot at the rows of carts vaporizing them all in a single shot. The blood was trailing down the side of the Romulan's cheek. He resumed his chase. He smelled that the family had taken a right turn. The hunter took a sharp turn to see Saavik was holding the game standing behind a canoe that was armed with two tanks hooked into the side of the wooden canoe.

Saavik let go of the canoe sending it flying after the man. The Romulan was frozen where he stood. The game was somewhere beside the young child. The canoe smacked against the man's stomach sending him flying across the store. The Romulan screamed before being crashed into a collection of Vulcan adult anti gravity motorcycles. The hunter helped himself up from the mess. He saw the children and the adult darting over to the next row of goods. He fired after them in the store. The sounds of boots cladding against the floor was prominent acting as echoes through out the building. The shots vaporized away a entire section. Vulcans who were taking goods out were standing in place holding solid, unediable goods. Their stoic, emotionless face remained unchanged as they lowered their newly acquired belonging then tossed it into the cart. Vulcans rushed away from the scene.

Leonard and the children came to a stop at the section with paint that had a dead end.

They turned away to be faced by the hunter whose left eyebrow was twitching standing in the way.

"I can only kill the player who summoned me. Harm?" he changed the setting to the phaser rifle. "I can do."

The sound of metal smacking to the floor drew their attention. The rows of goods sent the Vulcans fleeing out of the way not making a sound. If it had been occurring on Earth, then there would be a lot of screaming around the store. Leonard and the children stepped back. The rows of paint fell tipping over landing on the hunter. The other half mostly consisted of several meditation mats that unraveled. The anti gravity motorcycle came to a stop. The rider took off their helmet to reveal Spock. Spock looked around for the small family.

"Doctor? David? Saavik?" Spock called.

"Ya the latest Vulcan I have ever known in my life," Leonard bolted up. "and that is not a compliment!"

"Here!" Saavik said. Spock came over to the man's side then held his hand out.

"You're a life saver," David sad. Spock saw the child had lion like features.

"What happened to David?" Spock asked

"He cheated," Leonard said, taking the man's forearm. Spock placed a hand on the man's shoulder helping him up to his feet. "his token is at the beginnin'. . ." the children joined the two. "David, stop riskin' ya life for me. And that's an order."

"Dad would have approved," David said.

"Dad would have approved of ya doin' it safely," Leonard said. "like a kiddie bike flyin' over a ramp."

"That is not safe," Spock said. "Even with the idea you have in mind, it would be unwise to make a child leap off a kiddie bike in mid-air. It is as dangerous as facing Van Pelt."

"Felines know how to land safely on their feet," Leonard said.

"He is half human," Spock said.

"So?" Leonard asked.

"Just because he is becoming part lion does not mean he will gain cat like instincs," Spock remarked. "His brain has yet to change. If it had, he would be wild."

"Yes, but," Leonard said. "humans are different when it comes to undergoin' a animal transformation. I seen it with my naked eyes, Spock, in deep space."

"Kaiidth," Spock said. "There is enough room on the adult motorcycle for four people."

Spock unpacked a series of helmets that he had discovered on his way to the store. Jumanji was packed into a spare compartment. The children put on the helmets as did the adults. The anti gravity motorcycle sped off out of the store. The camera panned over toward a trembling, pink covered hand with splotches of bright green on the sleeve that came out of the buckets of paint. A groan was heard coming from the figure left underneath the very colorful mass.


	26. Chapter 26

_Tyrone was baking in the sun reevaluating his life choices._

 _Good choices, they were. Good choices in his best interest._

 _The only screw up that he had was going to the S'chn T'gai household thirty years ago._

 _Something long, and fine wrapped around his ankle. Were they Sehlats that had been left behind?_

 _Sehlat's did not have very long tails or tongues. He noticed there were vines growing along the desert scenery. There was more greenery around then normal. A chill traveled down the Boltaran's pale skin. He saw a flower blossoming with bright colorful petals. It was a small flower followed by other blossoming ones. And they each had long, thin needles in the center. Suddenly, something sharp pierced through the fabric covering his shoulder. His body was being dragged against the ground. His body screamed in pain briefly then the hot, steaming pain from his shoulder was the only thing on his mind. His body began to grow numb as terror traveled through his body._

 _His toes lost feeling._

 _His ankles felt like they were numb._

 _He couldn't feel his feet, how long that took was questionable._

 _It traveled up, up, and up his body. Until darkness took over._

* * *

The anti-gravity motorcycle came to a stop in front of the garage. Spock tilted the machine to the side kicking in the long, metal curved part making it come to a standstill. The children were the first to get off the machine. Leonard was the next to get off the anti-gravity motorcycle. Spock propped it in front of the closed garage. Spock faced the doctor who was looking in his direction. Leonard seemed to have a resolved, calm demeanor on his face that seemed unusual at first.

"I want ya to see how Jim was," Leonard said. "you know, before we walk in and throw in our hats."

"Throw in our hats?" Spock looked toward the doctor, bewildered.

"Nevermind," Leonard said. "I just want ya to see what the game made ya miss out on."

"We can wait," Saavik said, taking the game out of the compartment.

"No cheating, of course!" David added, then followed after his sister.

Spock faced the man.

"It has been a long time since I mind melded with a human," Spock said.

"I expected that," Leonard cracked a smile briefly that faded. "I have a lot of experience with mind melds. Never mind melded with a Vulcan as a star fleet officer."

Spock placed a hand on the side of the doctor's face, gently with care on the pin points.

Almost like the Vulcan was holding fine, delicate pottery.

Spock closed his eyes, mentally chanting a familiar phrase, ' _My mind to your mind, my thoughts to your thoughts. ._ .'.

Spock was guided like a floating piece of lumber through the doctor's mind to a specific point. A golden, beaming one. Memories swept over. Almost a decades worth of memories. The doctor meeting the cadet in his forth year preparing to take a simulation to pass. Kirk cheating on his third try to reason with the Klingons as a famous star fleet captain, Kirk going through the disciplinary panel, and Kirk graduating the academy. Kirk coming back as a instructor two years later. Saving Vulcan and Earth as a Lieutenant with McCoy being dragged into space. Marrying Leonard once the man graduated in 2259. All the memories with Kirk fell through the mind meld. There was a pain in the doctor that hadn't left quite yet over the loss of Kirk. A certain gentle ache in his mind that wouldn't go away quite easily.

Spock ended the mind meld.

"Leonard. . ." Spock said, softly as he took his hand off the psi-points. His hand traveled to the human's shoulder. "you lived a full life with him, one that is cherished, a better life than I had in Jumanji." Leonard nodded in agreement. Spock finally noticed the bags under the mans eyes. Leonard's age was showing. The doctor looked tired but generally at peace with himself unlike how he had been earlier. The grumpy demeanor seemingly was shrugged off. The streaks of gray were obvious, now, for the Vulcan. He didn't look like a young man in his thirties but a forty year old.

"Only the good die youn', Spock," Leonard said, then went after the children.


	27. Chapter 27

The doors to the house opened letting in the small family into the house. It was dark and gloomy. Spock stood in the center of the lobby surrounded by the Kirk's. The walls were lined with vines. They were a dark shade of green. It was pitch black in the scenery once the doors closed behind them. Spock looked around the scenery feeling comfortable and familiar to his surroundings than they had been before. He had a mini-flashback to what he had left behind. It seemed as though the plant life had turned the house into a shell with a jungle inside. A predictable one at that. There were cracks in the wall that once had been filled in. There were S'chn T'gai paintings that were torn through. The decorations that was either destroyed or wrapped in vines. Spock looked around.

"Home sweet home," Spock remarked as the children motioned the game to the center of the hall. There were large tree like roots placed about the scenery with faint gray smoke above the floor giving it a unique, mysterious aesthetic. "asides to the lack of a tree house. . . very nostalgic."

"Very scary lookin'," Leonard said.

"Do not be afraid," Spock said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "the outside is terrifying. Forest is not."

"I know what ya gonna say. Ya grew up in this," Leonard said. "I was stranded in a forest like this for four days without Jim and safe to say, it was terrifyin'," the doctor shuddered as Spock's hand slipped off his shoulder. Spock was struck with the image of tall centipedes stalking over the doctor's figure and the high pitch sounds they made. Spock restrained his look of horror looking over toward the doctor's direction. "I hope it wasn't like that for ya."

"It was not," Spock said.

"Father, if you get twelve then you will win the game," Saavik replied. The three looked toward the doctor.

"Me?" Leonard said. "For some reason I doubt that," he took the dice. "I don't win multi-player." Spock raised a slanted, thin eyebrow at the doctor's statement looking as though he were about to protest with his head tilted. Leonard rolled the dice. The dice landed on a three. The doctor's token slowly started to move. The doctor looked toward the dark center piece sphere. "Every month at the quarter moon, there'll be a monsoon in your lagoon." he looked up. "Hey, at least we are inside."

The three other players exchanged a glance.

"This game brought a lion inside the house," David reminded the doctor.

"Surely it can't make it rain in here," Leonard said.

"I shall get the umbrella," Saavik stood up then speeded away coming over to a door that was barely covered.

Saavik returned with a large umbrella bringing it over toward the group clicking it open by pressing a small, slim button above the handle. Clouds started to appear above from the ceiling. A cackle of thunder was heard. Leonard looked over in dismay to see the bolt within the clouds then rubbed the side of his face. Couldn't this game let him be right for once? His eyes briefly closed then reopened. He looked over toward Spock who was now scooted closer into the group. The Vulcan's colorful attire untouched by the rain that had began to fall. The group started to get up onto their feet.

"Well," Leonard said. "a little rain never hurt anyone."

"A lot of rain is capable of killing," Spock said, holding onto the umbrella. "We must go upstairs."

"Come on, kids," Leonard said.

David was the one to close the game picking it up into his arms then tailed after the group heading toward the stairs. The flood level was rising, quickly, soaking in through their civilian wear. Rising from the feet to the ankles to the knees. There was no minutes but merely seconds. Spock was in the lead grabbing hold onto the rail. He was guiding the group forward while Leonard kept a hold onto the umbrella. Leonard pushed the children forward toward the next level. The sound of the rising waves made sound irrelevant in the human's ear drums. Leonard handed the umbrella to the children. The umbrella was large enough to be used as a raft for two people alone with the legs folded. He hadn't expected such a large umbrella to come in handy on Vulcan of all places against a rising current. Leonard didn't notice Spock's hand placed on his back guiding him up.

The sound of waves crashing grew louder. The group looked up to see a larger wave of water crashing down toward their direction. David and Leonard screamed as the wave came in their direction. The wave crashed into the four slowly seeping up within the building. The umbrella was upside down with its handle being up. Leonard kicked his legs feeling the tide drag him down. He pumped himself up reaching out for support. He felt a warm, soft hand grab hold onto his hand yanking him forward up to the surface. Leonard gasped, his eyes blinded, seeing the shapes of heads around. Two of them were shorter than the third. He sucked in a breath of air then came over to who he assumed was Saavik. His fingers going feeling her wet, long hair.

"Father!" and it was Saavik.

"Into the umbrella, Saavik-kam," Leonard's strength was a match for the young girl's body slipping her into the umbrella. "David!" the doctor's voice was raised, as the waves continued to go up and up. "get into the umbrella!"

 _Saavik, Spock, David, Saavik, Spock, David are all above and so am I,_ Leonard thought _. They are okay. Everyone is okay._ Leonard saw David's figure put into the umbrella. Leonard got onto the edge of the umbrella taking in all the air that he could. The doctor's synthetic heart was pounding against his chest trying to catch up with his state of being. Spock looked around for any part of the house that could be used for a elevated surface. His brown eyes glanced up toward the attic that was becoming more apparent by the minute. The Vulcan let a expression of relief appear on his face then he looked over toward the huddled family.

"Hold on, everyone," Spock called. "There is a chandelier in the attic."

"Why . .. for gods sake. . ." Leonard managed to say. "does an attic need a chandelier?"

"To hold," Spock replied. "It is fulfilling one of its primary everyday functions."

"I never noticed that we had a chandelier," David said.

"Very forgettable," Spock said. "and distasteful."

"I'll see that for myself," David said, looking up toward the rails indicating how much further they had to go.

"Uh," Leonard said. His grip on the umbrella was slipping as the umbrella was tilted to it's side. "your family's aesthetic saves the day."

"It was T'Pau's forefather that insisted on it," Spock said. "my father believed it was based off fashion. Most of the house is based off various family members aesthetic."

Spock looked over toward the human whose eyes seemed to be squinting struggling to see him.

The Vulcan found it difficult to tell if the human was finding that hard to believe from a member of the Vulcanian species. From the dry perspective, it just looked like a old house full of antiques and the occasional glammer. Soon they came up to the level of the chandelier. Spock and Leonard balanced the umbrella making sure the children were able to climb up. David was the first to climb up then it was Saavik. Leonard looked over to see a oncoming moving log with bumps that didn't look like a log but an animal. The human poked the side of Spock's shoulder while biting his long fingernails. Spock caught a nearby table bringing it over toward the human then turned toward him to be poked at his chest. Spock turned the human toward him as the umbrella flew away into the mouth of the oncoming gator species. Spock picked up the human into his arms then tossed him onto the chandelier making it swing. Leonard and the children reached out for the Vulcan.

The table was tipped forward sending everyone flying. David crashed into the water and quickly began to sink. Spock landed onto the chandelier. Saavik had a strong grip on the mental seeing to her horror that she was going to lose the last bit of family in her life. She grabbed hold onto the boy's shoe while leaning over the edge of the chandelier, "Mr Spock!" Spock reached forward into the water with his long, muscular arm searching for the boy. He caught onto a furry, wet appendage that felt long but nothing like a vine. He yanked his hand out taking the boy to the surface. He dropped David to the metal then looked over to see that Leonard was shouting, loudly. David pulled his pants up barely coming over his tail.

"TAKE THIS, AND THIS, AND THAT!" Leonard shouted at the wide opened mouth gator. "YA NOT GOIN' TO GET A BITE OUT OF ME, UNDERSTAND? YA THE MOST UGLY BEIN' I EVER MET. CLOSE YOUR DAMN MOUTH AND MIND YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!"

Spock leaped landing onto the gator.

"Spock!" Leonard shouted. He came over to the chandelier attempting to tug himself up onto the metal.

The gator and Spock briefly appeared from the water flipping in and out of the water.

Leonard was helped into the raft by the children.

They watched the struggle go on, helplessly.

* * *

Saru had acquired a vessel prepared to leave Vulcan.

The doomsday destroyer could arrive at any minute.

He was taking a chance not leaving right away.

He looked around feeling something odd about the scenery. He saw there were trees, which wasn't surprising, some Vulcans had botantical gardens outside of the city limits to make their yards aesthetically pleasing. He saw the discarded anti-gravity motorcycle. He could hear the screaming coming from the house. His hand went into the sheath where the phaser was resting. He was going to offer the doctor and his companions to leave Vulcan. Kelpians do not leave a fully functioning member behind, and he never would do that to a human. Someone was attacking the group inside.

The Kelpian kicked his right hoof into the door.

Then the door flew open, forcefully, by a strong wave that carried him away.

Saru's mind was quickly changed about going after the Kirk's.

* * *

Spock swam toward the chandelier as the gator was being sucked away following the flow of the lagoon. Saavik had her hand reached out for the Vulcan. Their hands missed the first time then it was caught the second time. Saavik brought the older man to the chandelier. The man got onto the chandelier landing beside the the three who sighed in relief. They watched the remaining water based animals be floated away. There was a frog on what seemed to be a moving piece of log floating away while making its typical croaking sound. It sounded like a bull frog being so loud. The flood waters re-ceased becoming lower and lower. It took mere minutes for the water to go down. The water was still going down at various levels leaving the rooms intact that had doors in the way. Spock helped the children out of the chandelier. The game was floating down when Saavik brought it forward using a long stick item. David was the last to come down from the chandelier. Spock helped Leonard down afterwards.

"Are you all right?" Spock asked, as they were incredibly close enough. There was not much space between them.

"I am okay," Leonard said. "Spock . . . ya wrestled a alligator for me."

"It appears I did." Spock replied. Leonard leaned forward closing his eyes preparing to kiss. Spock placed a finger on the man's lips. The doctor's eyes opened. "That was a Crocodile. They have a toothy grin unlike the alligator that looks like it is smiling," Spock backed off. "We have to finish the game."

"My bad," Leonard said, softly turning toward the Vulcan's direction.

The children and the love striken doctor followed after Spock going in the direction of the door leading to the primary attic.


	28. Chapter 28

The door opened to the primary attic. There was light shining in through the window. The group entered the room. The attic door loudly shut earning a startled reaction shout from Saavik. Leonard glared in the direction of David who just shrugged gesturing toward the door. "I ought to get that door fixed after this," came the complaint. The house really needed a lot of fixing after the game's conclusion. If a miracle had happened, of course. The group came to the center of the attic that the game had begun in. The game was flipped open to reveal the tokens waiting to move. The dice ready to be rolled.

"It is my turn," Spock said, picking up the dice. Spock rolled the dice. The dice landed on a seven. The text began to appear on the centerpiece. "Beware the floor on which you stand, the ground is quicker than the sand."

The floor beneath them started to sink. The group was scattered except for Spock who was sinking before the doctor's eyes. Spock sent the game flying across the room where it came to a stop by a a wooden box. Saavik ran over to find a old styled vacuum cleaner then reached it out for the Vulcan. Spock grabbed hold onto it. His fingers dug into the metal. Saavik stepped backwards acting as a rope. The vacuum cleaner broke apart in two pieces. David ran over grabbing hold onto what was a very old, large and long lute. He brought it over toward the Vulcan then held it out for him. Saavik came over toward the game as Spock grabbed onto the lute. Th the lute breaking into two pieces. The doctor brought over a flat long wooden object then lowered himself down toward the Vulcan's level and reached his hands out underneath the mass grabbing hold onto the Vulcan's forearms.

Saavik rolled a seven.

"There is a lesson you will learn; sometimes you must go back a turn," Saavik read, as the sinking stopped and only Spock's face was visible including his arms. Spock and Leonard were trapped in the floor.

"Ya okay," Leonard said. "I got ya."

"This is a unpleasing position," Spock said.

"I know, I know," Leonard said. The doctor had a much needed laugh as the children came over.

"Good thinking, Saavik," Spock applauded. His eyes glanced over toward David. "Is it not your turn?"

David and Saavik shared a glance.

"Yes, it is," David said, with a short lived nod.

The children returned over toward the game. David rolled the dice landing a four.

"I thought I lost ya again," Leonard said.

"I am sticking around this time. . ." Spock added, jokingly. "In the floor." Leonard laughed as the Vulcan stroked the side of the doctor's face gently with his right hand feeling the man's cheeks that had changed over thirty years. A blush started to grow on the doctor's face.

"Need a hand while you just wait? We'll help you out, we each have eight," David read.

David slowly looked up to see a pitch black and huge spider dangling down from alongside the window making it's odd and familiar now terrifying screeches. David and Saavik screamed as they went back from the window. The sounds of tapping was heard from around the Vulcan. He recognized that tapping from anywhere. Distinctive tapping against wood by long, thin legs. Leonard could feel a spider climbing on his leg. It sent chills down the man's skin as he shuddered. Spock swiped at the spider that had climbed to the human's shoulder sending it flying. David picked up a long, broom like object. It looked fairly old. Saavik picked up a long chair leg swinging it at the spiders. The spiders retreated briefly then returned with vengeance.

"Leonard," Spock said. "It is your turn."

"I can't roll dice," Leonard said. "My hands are currently busy."

"Use your teeth!" David replied, scooting at the spiders.

"That's right. . . Saavik, get the game," Leonard said. "Hurry!" Saavik slid the game off the board that suddenly went lose and a purple like flower sprouted up earning a scream then ejected a thin object into the side of her neck. "Saavik!" The doctor's skin went cold recognizing the flower. He had seen it on a away mission. He had seen a crewmen die because of it. He had to perform the autopsy. His worst nightmare had come true.

David broke the stick in half then stabbed the stem in half killing the plant.

The plant withered away closing at the center while bleeding away on the surface.

"Are you all right?" David asked.

"I am fine," Saavik said, taking the stick out of her neck. "Make sure the spiders don't get to them."

"Alright, sis," David said.

"She is fine, Leonard," Spock said, squeezing the human's shoulder sending comfort toward him. It was a lie. And they both knew it. "Saavik, put the game on my forehead, it shall balance out evenly," Saavik placed the game onto the Vulcan's forehead. "Roll the dice!"

Saavik picked up the dice.

"I love ya, Saavik, enough to tell ya to sit down and rest y'self," Leonard said. "Give me the dice."

Saavik put the dice into the man's mouth then stumbled back obvious weakness. He spat it back out as the girl stumbled landing onto a treasure chest of some kind. The dice landed on a number that Leonard didn't pay much attention on. The text slowly began to appear on the board. David swung at the oncoming spiders with two pieces of the broom. He stopped, annoyed, then roared at them. It was a surprisingly loud and scary kind of roar that wouldn't be heard from a child. The spiders retreated giving the boy space. Saavik landed to the floor with a thud. David kicked the spider away from the girl.

"You're almost there with much at stake; now the ground begins to quake." Leonard read.

"Saavik!" David said, coming to the girls side.

"I. . . I. . . Wish . . . dad was here," Saavik said.

"So do I," David said, holding the young girl in his arms.

The spiders quickly fled leaving the group alone.

"Our only chance is to finish the game," Spock said.

"Lucky that it is your turn," Leonard replied, briefly looking up to see the children across from him.

In the distance, we can see the shape of a oncoming large mass headed toward the direction of Vulcan. The ground split apart. Everything split apart on Vulcan. ShiKahr split in half sending some buildings tumbling down toward the center. Trees fell down toward the center free falling. Two lone shuttle craft could be seen disembarking the planet heading toward space. Our scene returned toward the household of S'chn T'gai where we can see Leonard latching onto the man's shoulders. The floor beneath them had split open showing wiring, pipes, and rocks. The game was tipping forward.

"Leonard," Spock said. "get the game!"

"No!" Leonard said. "I won't let ya go! Not this time!"

"I can fix this," Spock replied. "It is the only way."

"There are more than one way," Leonard said. "I don't care about the game. I just want us to be together."

"Leonard," Spock said. "we were never apart. _Parted_ from me and _never parted_ , never and always touched."

"So that's what T'hy'la means?" Leonard asked.

Spock looked at the human's brown eyes, and slowly, with much reluctance, Leonard's hand let go.

The Vulcan grabbed hold onto a vine swinging himself down toward the floor with some difficulty. Leonard followed after the swinging Vulcan heading down the stairs with increased speed. Spock briefly vanished and appeared in his line of sight as the human speeded the stairs. Spock crashed through the doors landing into the room. The room where it all began. It was funny how things worked out.

"Don't move," Leonard heard. "Stand up." The voice was loud and clear. "What's in your hand?" There was silence. "Drop it." He heard the sounds of the dice being rolled. "End of the line, sonny Jim." Leonard came closer to the room. "Game up, stop running." the doctor stopped, it was Van Pelt. Spock looked over in the direction of the doctor then lowered his hands and turned his attention on the Romulan-psuedo.

"No," Spock said.

"Aren't you afraid?" Van asked.

"Very," Spock said. "My mother once told me. . . You should face what you're afraid of." Van laughed.

"Finally," Van said. "you are finally acting like a man," he raised the upgraded phaser rifle. "Any last words?"

Spock looked down to see his token move. The text on the screen read, "Jumanji," in green appearing below the token. Leonard saw a different side of Spock standing there as he started to look up. There was hope in the man's eyes. The ground was beginning to shake, once more beneath their feet. Leonard knew, the end of the world was here. He walked forward, holding no regrets. Leonard took the man's outreached green hand then squeezed it.

"Jumanji," Spock obliged.

"What?" Van asked, as the building shook.

"Jumanji," Spock replied.

Van pressed the trigger. Leonard turned turned the Vulcan attempting to act as a shield. The shaking became more violent. The blasts didn't strike. Spock looked over the man's shoulder to see it was being sucked into the game. The phaser rifle was being sucked in, as well, Leonard turned slightly in the man's direction to see that he too was in the process of being sucked in. His hands were the first. Suddenly the window broke for flying animals to come on inside the house joining the fray. Van lowered his hand with a look on his face that he knew all too well what was going on as the animals were flying above his head.

"Mnek'nra brisaerll," Van said.

"Hal-tor tor bogozh!" Spock shouted back.

Van was dragged into the air dragged into the crowd by sheer wind, Spock brought the doctor closer to him as the wind was becoming stronger and stronger, partially in fear of being taken with it. They held on to each other lowering themselves down and down. Spock took a peak at the game sucking in all the mess it had created. The sound of crashing was evident as a shock wave carried through Vulcan. Leonard's hands were digging into the Vulcan's skin through the fabric. It was over. It was all over. Spock turned his head away from the game closing his eyes clenching onto the older man. A ball was dislodged from the ceiling. And it slowly fell. Almost in slow motion. It was a soccer ball. The sounds of animals and wind was the last sound the two heard.


	29. Chapter 29

The ball landed to the floor with a bounce beside the two boy's feet. It was caught by a Sehlat cub that dug its little talons. The ball deflated. Spock and Leonard let go of each other as the sound of their respective fathers drew their attention. Leonard started to spear out tears from his eyes in sheer happiness. Spock nodded, in return, "I grieve with thee." The stardate was, oddly enough, 2237. The same day where it all began. The same stardate. Same location. Spock could see that life was flourishing inside of the building. It seemed as though he was in the mythical heaven. Vulcan was in good hands.

"We have to get the game off Vulcan," Leonard said. "we're kids again. We should deal with it right."

"My father has some connections," Spock said. "He knows how to deal with things like these."

"Your father didn't budge it for thirty years," Leonard said. "surely. . ."

"There is a difference between knowing and not knowing the powers of a game," Spock said.

"All right, let's tell him," Leonard said, as they turned toward the two men. "He looks younger than I remember."

"Leonard," Spock said.

"Come on," Leonard said, taking the Vulcan's forearm. "Father! Ambassador Sarek!"

"One minute here," Andrew said. "I saved your sassy asses not once but thirteen times."

"We appreciate it," Sarek replied. "safety is the primary concern."

"I get that, but their lively hood triumphs mine," Andrew said. "doctor's are supposed to run into danger and see what they can do to help."

"Sa-mekh," Spock said.

Sarek looked over.

"Yes, Spock?" Sarek said, as Leonard wiped off another tear.

"Go on," Leonard said.

"There is a game that meddles with the laws of logic, meddles with time, and capable of making ones worst nightmare happen," Spock explained. "It is a threat."

"It looks like a board game, Ambassador," Leonard said. "trust us. It's not."

"It's called Jumanji," Spock said. "Why it chose this moment to reset is beyond comprehension."

"Thin's did start goin' to hell from here," Leonard said.

"True," Spock agreed.

"What game?" Andrew asked. "Y'all haven't been playin' a board game . . ."

"We have, pa," Leonard said. "and we lost a lot of people because of it." there was heartbreak in the child's voice.

Sarek lowered himself down to their level.

"Let me see," Sarek said. Spock nodded. Sarek placed his hand on the side of his son's face and entered a mind meld. Sarek let go minutes later appearing to be disturbed. He looked over toward the older child then back toward David. "Doctor, we will deal with this matter later," he stood up tall over the two children. "I have a emergency matter to attend," he turned toward his child. "lead me to it."

"Follow me," Spock said.

Leonard looked over toward his father.

"Pa. . ." Leonard said. "I am goin' to be a doctor. Not a soccer player."

* * *

"Hey look, it's Ambassador Sarek!" the Vulcanian construction worker said, looking off to see a familiar figure approaching.

The Cardassian construction worker sighed.

"Do not pull my leg." Cardassian worker said.

"No, really, it is." the Vulcanian construction worker said.

The construction worker turned to see Sarek and Spock standing side by side almost mimicking each other's position.

"There is a luggage in the dirt with a handle that is sticking out," Sarek said. "I require it."

The Cardassian looked over to see the handle sticking out.

"Oh, this?" the Cardassian construction worker tore it out then handed it to the elder.

"Nemiayo," Sarek thanked, taking the luggage. Sarek looked over toward his son. "This is it?"

"Keep it away from me," Spock stepped aside. Sarek put it into the luggage part of the anti-gravitational motorcycle.

"I will speak to your mother about what I have seen," Sarek said. ". . . Spock," the boy turned away from the road toward the elder. "your counterpart."

"He will appear," Spock said. "and this time it won't be on a inconvenient note."

"I was about to say. . ." Sarek said. "he looks nothing like you, yet. You are unique in the universe. You do have a place. And it is not on Vulcan."


	30. Chapter 30

"Why is it that despite the caution your father took with this game, it still got into the hands of a two Andorian cadets who threw it into my hands during a lunch break?" Leonard asked.

"I am not sure about it," Spock said. "either we crossed paths with them in their gameplay or they heard of us in some manner."

"Which would be the most logical thin' to think," Leonard said. "half a decade and it still is being thrown around."

"Doctor," Spock said. "I have an idea of how to best get rid of it for the time being."

"Say it," Leonard said.

"My father is willing to take it with him to a trip during the summer to a undisclosed location," Spock explained. "Mother is taking a vacation with her 'girlfriends'."

"Man, I am impressed that your pa manages to sneak his way to Romulus without being found out," Leonard said.

"He makes good arguments with mother," Spock said, as they came to a stop. "It will be buried. And it will be hundreds of years before it will be found again."

"Really?" Leonard asked. "Out of our hair?"

"I am sure of it," Spock said. Leonard sat down onto a bench.

"I got a better idea. . ." he looked up toward the Vulcan. "How about we send it to Qo'Nos?"

"I would not wish for them to cross paths with it," Spock said.

"Spock," Leonard said. "Out of our hair. Our of our damn lives to get rid of it. Out of the federation. Klingons are never goin' to join the federation so we'll be safe," the Vulcan sat down alongside the human. "we're in the clear." Leonard gazed around the academy campus. "there is a chance that Romulus will join star fleet before Klingons with what Sarek is doin'."

"Either way, it will be gone for hundreds of years," Spock said.

"How about we send it out together?" Leonard asked. "for someone whose on shore leave. Why not spend it doin' this?"

"I find that acceptable," Spock said, his hand reaching over toward Leonard's.

Leonard took his hand back.

"Let's do the human version after we use that . . ." he twirled his hand. "transwarp transport."

"Anywhere in the galaxy," Spock said.

"Not a bad idea, isn't it?" Leonard asked, with a smile.

"Not at all," Spock said, as they stood up from the bench.

"I know someone whose workin' on transwarp beamin'," Leonard said. "old friend of mine. . . We haven't quite met yet."

* * *

Scott looked at the two men who had arrived to the transporter room that he was about to perform a live test subject. He saw double at first then he closed his eyes and reopened them to see that there were only two. The beagle was lazily laid on the transporter padd snoozing away. Leonard smiled, widely, with a box laid to his side. Today hadn't been the day Scott thought he would make history. Drunkingly, he turned the transporter padd then turned toward the two men in the star fleet reds with one hand on the side of his waist.

"Hello," Scott said. "what brings ye here?"

"Cadet McCoy," Leonard introduced himself. "and this is my best friend Lieutenant Commander Spock."

"Lieutenant Scott," Spock said. "would you like to perform a live test subject on transwarp beaming on something should be lost?"

The scotsman's eyes brightened.

"Ay!" Scott said. "I was just about tae dae sae!"

"Well, hold on a minute," Leonard said. "Spock, move the dog."

"What kind of alien is that?" Scott asked.

"It's animate object with a mind of its own," Leonard said. "we'll cover ya on this." Spock placed the old beagle alongside the other old one near the transporter console.

"I do not recommend testing Admiral Archer's pet, Mr Scott," Spock said.

"It's Scotty," Scott said.

"Abide his request and he will be loyal with ya to the end," Leonard said. "he is goin' to be a chief of engineerin' one day."

"Interesting choice," Spock said.

"Aye!" Scott said. "Any of ye stationed on the Enterprise?"

"I am," Spock replied.

"What is she like? Is she pretty? Does her nacelles work smoothly there?" Scott asked.

"They are adequate and very operational," Spock replied. "she is as strong as star fleet itself."

"Sounds like a beauty," Scott said. "so beautiful."

"Come on, Scotty," Leonard said. "I will owe ya one."

"A drink," Scott said.

"Tomorrow," Leonard said.

"Stand back," Scott said. "dinnae gae in. This is testin'."

"Thank ya, Scotty," Leonard said. "ya a lifesaver."

"Nae even started," Scott said, then he slid the bars up to the transporter console. Spock and Leonard watched the game be surrounded in a bright flare of light and vanished away. "Uhh. . . I think it dinnae land in the Hood," He turned toward the two. "Sorry about that. . ." he saw the doctor was relaxed leaning against the Vulcan's shoulder taking the man's hand. "Wait, ye wanted tae lose it. Why?"

"It is a threat," Spock replied.

"Not anymore." Leonard stated.

Leonard turned toward toward the Vulcan blocking off view from the engineer and planted a kiss on his lips.

Spock returned the kiss, warmly, passionately. Scott drunkingly fell into his chair, tiredly. His mind was barely foggy. He looked over toward the two beagles. The thought of losing them, Archer's prized beagles, was a devastating one. Half of his brain was sober because of the thought of what he had nearly done. Spock was the one who broke off the kiss with his hand on the humans shoulder and their foreheads touched. He placed a kiss on the man's cool forehead. Thy broke apart to see that Scotsman had fallen asleep. They came over side by side toward the Scotsman. Leonard turned the transporter off with a flick of a switch. Spock swung the Scotsmans hand over his shoulder. Leonard slipped out the man's billfold to get an idea of where Scott lived. And it was nearby. The dogs came toward the couple's side tailing between them. Spock and Leonard were holding hands as they exited the transporter room.

"Hey, Spock," Leonard said. "Was that . . mind joinin' anything permanent? I didn't feel it when we got back."

"It does not effect us at the slightest," Spock said. "my mental shields are up. So it does not effect us."

"Maybe both our shields should come down," Leonard said. "Are ya ready for that?"

"I am ready when you are," Spock said.

"After we drop off Scotty," Leonard said.

"As you wish." Spock said, and they exited the transporter facility.


	31. Chapter 31

"Why does that older Vulcan share a uncanny resemblance with Spock?" Kirk asked.

"Okay, come on, sweetie," Leonard guided the younger man over toward the small crowd of people surrounding two well advanced and aged men.

"So ya see, that is how I got his ass out of a Seleptian mouth," came a southern, but older voice.

"The mouth is not rather good place to be," there they saw a very well age advanced Vulcan dressed in colorful attire. It was Selek, who looked more alive and well, happy, even surrounded by people who welcomed him. His companion was holding a glass in a way that resembled the way Leonard held a hypospray or anything for that matter. Kirk looked over toward the man as it fully set in what he was seeing. "Very concerning from a prey standpoint."

"Then why were you in the mouth?" Winona asked.

"I had to retrieve a friend," the very well aged advanced Vulcan looked over toward the two. "Captain, Doctor, how nice to see you."

"Spock?" Kirk asked.

"Yes?" Selek noticed the human's troubled expression. His face softened at the captain. The elder Vulcan appeared to be fond at the younger man. "You are just as how I remembered you."

"Don't worry about him, they just share the same name," McCoy said. "I call him Spock and the rest of the children call him Ambassador."

"And how do you separate my Spock with him?" Kirk asked.

"They both respond to it, don't bother differantiatin' them," McCoy said.

"I would have done the same," Leonard agreed.

"As would I," Winona said. "If there were two of my boy."

"Mom-" Kirk said.

"I am joking, Jimmy," Winona said.

"You can refer to me as Selek if you wish or just Ambassador Spock," Selek offered. "I am surprised that the Enterprise found time for a party that could be held in the mess hall rather instead of in the house of Sarek." The ambassador watched a smile grow on the captain's familiar face. Not everything had changed about him at all with the smile.

"It's a very special holiday for my CMO and SO," Kirk said.

"Hey, guess whose singing?" Tyrone appeared from the crowd. "You won't even know who it is."

"T'Pak," Selek said.

"Oh, how could you have heard this obscure artist?" Tyrone asked. "I found her on Reglis IV!"

"I beg your pardon?" Selek asked. "She has been all over the Alpha Quadrant in recent years performing in plays as a background singer. My bondmate and I have met her at one of these plays. She my be obscure but not enough to be new to me." Selek reached his two fingers out for the human who returned the gesture. "But an artist? No. A singer, yes, and she will always be that way."

"Daamn," Tyrone said. "I can't believe my window of opportunity was taken."

"There is a window of opportunity entering the house," Selek said. "family members of the Graysons. They are city bound folks."

"Oh gooody," Tyrone made a split from the group.

"How long have you known Leonard," Kirk began. "Ambassador Selek."

"It's hard to remember at my age," Selek said. "It could be ten, or five years, who knows."

"So it's all good in the future," KIrk said, as Leonard vanished from the group making his way in the direction of the Vulcan.

"The future is bright," Selek replied. He looked up to see George headed their way. "Now, your father is headed this way."

"Wait, they didn't say they invited-" Kirk turned then faked a expected smile at the older man who arrived. "Dad! What brings you here?"

"Amanda wanted us here," George said. "said something about a sehlat gift or a dog gift for all the work you've done making sure her little boy has been sticking around." Kirk looked over toward the older men who waved at him slightly vanishing into another part of the house. Kirk could hear the laughter of the older McCoy from over the voices of the other people.

"This is a anniversary party," Kirk said.

"For whom?" George asked.

"Spock and Leonard," Kirk said.

"Oh!" George said. "Those kids, right, I knew that."

"Where's Saavik?" Kirk asked.

"Eleanor decided to bring her here," George said. "She is going to be here any minute now. . ." the doorbell rang. "that is probably her."

It kept ringing. Kirk made his way toward the toward the door making apologies. He came to the door then pressed the side panel. The door opened to reveal Carol with the little boy in front of her. Her hands placed on the boy's shoulders. They shared a similar resemblance, what with the eyes, and most facial features. Kirk looked in disbelief then looked up and down. He knew what his own face looked like. Carol escaped a 'oh' while the little boy was holding a box. Spock came to the man's side then stopped, freezing in place, and a small smile grew on the man's face.

"Greetings, David," Spock said.

"Hi," David said.

"My apologies, Jim-" Spock started.

"It's fine," Kirk said. "I have to catch up with Doctor Marcus, regardless."

"James-" Carol started.

"It's Jim, I don't go by James," Kirk said, going into the house.

"I told you to tell him," Spock said.

"I didn't have the time," Carol said. Spock looked at her, furiously.

"Your father told me that you had nothing on your table," Spock said, sounding hurt. "explain yourself to the captain." her mouth slightly fell.

"Wait, he is a captain?" Carol said. "Not because of Nero? Is he getting a promotion? Are you retiring? Is that what?"

Spock glared back at the woman, giving her a most unwelcomed one.

"The best of your lifetime," Spock stepped aside. "come in. And fix it."

"Come on, David," Carol said, leading the boy in.

Spock looked on to see Eleanor and Saavik headed their way. Saavik was pacing herself alongside the older, dark woman with grayed hair. Spock watched the two come to the doorway, and so he offered the ta'al.

"you have come in time," he looked over to see that the final guests were just them. "Saavik, Mrs McCoy, I am pleased to welcome you."

"Hello, sweetie," Eleanor smiled, widely.

"Greetings, Commander," Saavik returned the ta'al.

"Ma!" Leonard apparated by the Vulcan's side once the group were inside the house. "How are ya?"

"Perfect," Eleanor said. "I just chose Donna to be little Saavik's guardian. Joss says it's the best choice."

"Of course it is," Leonard said. "Donna lives on a colony planet that has a lot of free space," he lowered himself down toward the young girl. "how is my little sweet pea doin'?" she looked just the way he had last seen her, clothes and all, oddly enough. She looked at him in a way that felt like he was being observed and analyzed rather than being looked at. He straightened himself. "there's a non-alcoholic beverage in the livin' room, ma."

"Good!" Eleanor said. "Donna here?"

"Joanna is excited to be here," Leonard said. "she still hasn't gone over how massive this is."

"That's Joanna," Eleanor said. David came running by.

"David!" Leonard called. "Use your indoor feet!"

Saavik walked after the direction of David leading the way for Eleanor.

"T'hy'la," Spock said. "perhaps we should delay it."

"We better do it when he is in our lives, Spock," Leonard said. "now or never."

"He is not happy at the moment," Spock said. "Carol didn't make the call."

"She didn't," Leonard said, not surprised. He held his two fingers out. "I guess I did expect it. A little."

"Was she always this way?" Spock inquired, returning the gesture.

"I want to say that she appeared after Jim died and put David into my care but that was not the case," Leonard said. "she appeared after we rescued her father from a mess that he was cooking up. Which did not happen in this timeline."

"Events unfold differently in parallel timelines, Doctor," Sarek said. Leonard shifted toward the direction of Amanda and Sarek heading down the stairs together side by side while each in contrasting different colors. Amanda was in bright colors while Sarek was in a dark colored outfit that almost seemed like a dress. "for someone who participated in that should know."

"Ah yes, the luxury of runnin' away," Leonard sarcastically said. "just because the Enterprise went in different anomalies does not mean I am expert in this."

"Technically, that is true," Spock said.

"Spock, no," Leonard said.

"We embrace technicalities," Spock said.

"No, we don't," Leonard argued.

"Being a doctor means otherwise," Spock said.

"No, for a science officer that means otherwise," Leonard said. "just because the charts can easily get mixed up doesn't. . ." Leonard realized the argument was lost. "All right, yes, my profession embraces that."

"My boys," Amanda said, warmingly.

"Father, Burnham is with her bondmate in the secondary living room talking about a subject you refuse to talk about with some of the other McCoy family members," Spock said. "I believe it is about the issue with Selek and she is getting several details wrong."

"Pardon me," Sarek was gone leaving behind a dust cloud behind in his image.

"If ya told me to end a conversation with your father was that I would have done that ages ago," Leonard said.

"Not a white lie," Spock said. "because Burnham is."

"The best way to end a conversation you are most uncomfortable with my husband is start talking about ducks," Amanda said.

"Really?" Leonard asked.

"Really," Amanda said. "Excuse me, my husband is calling." then she left the hall exiting into the secondary living room.

Spock and Leonard exchanged a glance.

"Are you prepared for this next step?" Spock asked, unsure.

"Peaches," Leonard said. "we share the same feelin's about him and dated him for most of the five year mission. I am ready," Spock nodded his head in return to the human's reply. "And with the music on, people bein' happy, and. . . ya know, posin' this question means the world is not goin' to end. It just means it is gettin' bigger."

"Your logic is sound," Spock said. "I have another sibling you haven't met."

"Oh goody," Leonard said, as they turned away from the door. "which one is this?"

"My brother," Spock said. "Sybok. No longer an exile. Very good healer nowadays."

"Sounds like a interestin' conversation to have. . ." Leonard said. "Let's ask after Sybok."

Leonard's hand was on the Vulcan's back while the Vulcan's hand was on the man's waist as they made their down the hall. The scene backed out of the overjoyed household. The scenery slowly fading out to a sandy beach. There were two highly dressed figures walking down the beach. From their faces, it is notably to be seen that they were young girls. There was a heavy breeze being carried through the beach. They had spoon like structures on their foreheads with ridges that carried over covering an area where eyebrows would be prominent. This scene could be happening twenty years, one hundred, or one hundred thirty-nine years from now.

"Chek kor kres?" came the tall female as the sound of tribal drums drew the camera's direction.

Jumanji was half buried in the sand as the tribal drums grew louder and louder as the two came toward it.

"Vit'a'pik." the short female said, picking up the game.

The sand fell off showing the complete design of the game now in Cardassian text. The screen turned to black.

 **The end.**


End file.
